Nilüfer Gündoğan

Nilüfer Gündoğan (born 6 June 1977) is a Dutch politician, who serves as a member of the House of Representatives. She was elected to the House in the 2021 general election on behalf of Volt Netherlands. In February 2022, she was suspended from its parliamentary group following internal reports of unacceptable behavior. Gündoğan had before worked as a consultant and manager.

Nilüfer Gündoğan
Gündoğan in 2021
Member of the House of Representatives
Assumed office
31 March 2021
Personal details
Born
Nilüfer Gündoğan

(1977-06-06) 6 June 1977
Nazımiye, Tunceli, Turkey
Political partyIndependent (since 2022)
Other political
affiliations		Volt Netherlands (until 2022)
Democrats 66 (starting in 2009)
Spouse(s)
Bas Vogels
​
​
(m. 2015; died 2017)​
Children1

Early life and career

Gündoğan was born on 6 June 1977 in Nazımiye, Tunceli Province, Turkey, into an Alevi family, belonging to the Zazas.[1][2][3] She has a brother and a sister. Her father had been a teacher in Turkey and had moved to the Netherlands as a guest worker to work in a factory.[3][4] When Gündoğan was 18 months old and when her father had been in the Netherlands for five years, her family moved to the Netherlands, and she grew up in the Limburg city Weert.[3][5][6] There, she attended the secondary school Philips van Horne.[7]

She moved in 1996 to Amsterdam to study medicine, but she quit in 2003 without a degree.[6] She has told that she was unable to complete her studies due to a hospitalization and a depression caused by family issues, and she has called her father violent.[8][9][10] In the years 2005–07, she studied political science at Leiden University, but she again did not graduate.[6][10] Gündoğan worked simultaneously project assistant for the municipality of Amsterdam. She held the position of strategic renewal project manager at the municipality between 2009 and 2012.[6] Gündoğan later worked as a consultant, account manager, and interim manager at several other organizations including Rainman Group and jb Lorenz.[4][11][12] When she was elected to the House, she also owned her own consultancy called Nilüfer Advies.[13]

Political career

Gündoğan identifies as a social liberal and joined the political party Democrats 66 (D66) in 2009.[14][15] She participated in its development program Route66 for two years and served on the board of Amsterdam's D66 wing between late 2011 and 2013.[15] Gündoğan wanted to become D66's lijsttrekker in Amsterdam-Zuid for the 2014 elections but lost to Sebastiaan Capel.[16]

Over the years, she became disappointed with some aspects of D66, and she joined Volt in 2018, the year after its Dutch branch was founded.[17][2] Gündoğan stands for a liberal democracy and society and has warned against tampering with liberal democratic principles in the Netherlands.[3] She has been vocal in her support for the European Union to tackle cross-border issues, including the migrant crisis, climate change, digital security, and liberal democracy.[14] Gündoğan was the second candidate of Volt Netherlands in the 2019 European Parliament elections. The party received 1.93% of the vote, not enough to meet the threshold for a seat in the European Parliament.[18]

House of Representatives

In the 2021 Dutch general election, Gündoğan was again placed second on Volt's party list. She received 41,352 preference votes and her party won three seats.[19] Gündoğan was installed into the House of Representatives on 31 March along with Laurens Dassen and Marieke Koekkoek. She is on the Committees for Defence; for Education, Culture and Science; for Finance; and for Public Expenditure.[1]

In June 2021, Gündoğan filed a motion to prohibit tobacco lobbying, but it came seven votes short of passing the House.[20][21] Another proposal of her was a new tax on profit made from the sale of a house, similar to an existing one in France, in order to address rising housing prices by combatting speculation.[22] She also wrote a letter to Speaker Vera Bergkamp with Sjoerd Sjoerdsma (D66), in which they called for a discussion with the House's presidium to address threatening comments made by House members of Forum for Democracy (FVD) during debates. One of the incidents they referred to occurred in 2021 when Gündoğan had complained about intimidating emails by DENK and FVD supporters. House member Gideon van Meijeren had subsequently said that he was very proud that his supporters were going all out to change her mind about the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[23] Gündoğan continued to speak out against extreme language and threats on social media, and she filed a police report following death threats.[24][25] She mostly blamed right-wing populist politicians, calling Geert Wilders a "nasty fascist" on Twitter.[7]

Volt announced on 13 February 2022 that they had suspended Gündoğan from their parliamentary group after having received reports of unacceptable behavior. The party did not elaborate on the allegations because of an ongoing external investigation and Gündoğan stated that she was unsure about what she was being accused of as well.[24][26] The announcement followed a wave of allegations of unacceptable behavior against high-profile people in the Netherlands.[17] In a statement, Gündoğan called her suspension a disproportionate measure, and she declared she would keep her House seat regardless of the outcome of the investigation. She also wrote that she was going through a rough period due to threats and that she would be sorry if her style of working had made anyone feel unsafe.[27] Her lawyers announced on 18 February that Gündoğan would take legal action against Volt in order to end her suspension, to get a rectification, and to receive damages, while the party stated that she was unwilling to cooperate with the external investigation.[28]

Personal life

Gündoğan has been living in Amsterdam since 1996.[1][29] She was married to Bas Vogels, whom she knew from D66. Bas was diagnosed with incurable colorectal cancer two months after their relationship had started. They married in 2014, and Nilüfer subsequently bore the last name Vogels. Bas was euthanized in March 2017, four months after the birth of their son.[30][31] Gündoğan raises her son as a single parent.[5] She is an atheist.[29]

References
  1. "Nilüfer Gündoğan". Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  2. "Atatürk, Democratie en Europa: Turks-Nederlandse Nilüfer doet gooi naar Europese zetel met VOLT" [Atatürk, democracy, and Europe: Turkish-Dutch Nilüfer makes a bid for a European Parliament seat with Volt]. DutchTurks.nl (in Dutch). 22 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  3. Gündoğan, Nilüfer (1 March 2021). "'Nederland kan net als Turkije afglijden naar een illiberale democratie'" ['The Netherlands could slide into an illiberal democracy just like Turkey']. de Kanttekening (Interview) (in Dutch). Interviewed by Chris Aalberts. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  4. Gündoğan, Nilüfer; Rijpkema, Bastiaan (10 March 2021). "Arnon Grunberg Ontmoet Nilüfer Gündoğan en Bastiaan Rijpkema" [Arnon Grunberg meets Nilüfer Gündoğan and Bastiaan Rijpkema] (Interview) (in Dutch). Interviewed by Arnon Grunberg. De Balie. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  5. Duk, Wierd (15 May 2019). "'Wij zijn de generatie Europa'" ['We are the European generation']. De Telegraaf (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  6. Geels, Boudewijn; Toe Laer, Elfanie (28 May 2021). "'Zo'n vrouw die zonder boerka niet meer naar de supermarkt mag, is dat het waard?'" ['Such a woman who is not allowed to go to the supermarket without a burqa, is that worth it?']. Het Financieele Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  7. Goossen, Hans (15 February 2022). "Wie is het in opspraak geraakte Tweede Kamerlid Nilüfer Gündogan? 'Mijn karakter wordt ruwer dan het al is'" [Who is the discredited House of Representatives member Nilüfer Gündogan? 'My character is becoming rougher than it already was']. De Limburger (in Dutch). Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  8. Özcan Akyol (November 2021). "#11 - De Geknipte Gast met Nilüfer Gündogan (S04)" [#11 - De Geknipte Gast with Nilüfer Gündoğan (S04)]. Spotify (Podcast) (in Dutch). BNNVARA. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  9. Marleen Weener (20 November 2020). "12. Het kwetsbare verhaal van Nilüfer Gündogan, de nummer 2 van VOLT" [12. The vulnerable story of Nilüfer Gündoğan, Volt's number two]. Apple Podcasts (Podcast) (in Dutch). De Politieke Adem podcast. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  10. Gündoğan, Nilüfer (1 December 2020). "DeGoedeBijlo 039 - Interview met Nilüfer Gündoğan" [DeGoedeBijlo 039 - Interview with Nilüfer Gündoğan] (Interview) (in Dutch). Interviewed by David de Goede and Vincent Bijlo. Lorenzetti Governance Foundation. Retrieved 15 May 2021 – via YouTube.
  11. Den Outer, Bianca (11 September 2019). "Nilüfer Vogels accountmanager voor De Eerstelijns" [Nilüfer Vogels account manager at De Eerstelijns]. De Eerstelijns (Press release) (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  12. Schmidt, Christoph (15 February 2022). "'Ik denk sneller: wat een onzin. Hier heb ik geen trek in'" ['I am more inclined to think: What nonsense. I'm not interested in this']. Trouw (in Dutch). pp. 4–5.
  13. "Meer ondernemers in Kamer, geen landelijke afspiegeling" [More entrepreneurs in the House, no reflection of the country]. Accountancy Vanmorgen (in Dutch). 2 April 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  14. "Nilüfer Gündoğan". Volt (in Dutch). Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  15. Gündoğan, Nilüfer (May 2013). "Ledenwijzer D66" [Member information D66] (in Dutch). Democrats 66. p. 96. Retrieved 13 May 2021 – via Issuu.
  16. "D66-raadslid Capel wordt lijsttrekker in Zuid" [D66 councilor Capel becomes lijsttrekker in Zuid]. Het Parool (in Dutch). 19 July 2013. p. 11.
  17. Zwolsman, Noor (13 February 2022). "Volt schorst Kamerlid Nilüfer Gündogan na beschuldigingen" [Volt suspends MP Nilüfer Gündogan following allegations]. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  18. "Uitslag Europees Parlementsverkiezing 2019" [Results 2019 European Parliament election] (PDF) (in Dutch). Kiesraad. 4 June 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  19. "Uitslag Tweede Kamerverkiezing 17 maart 2021 Proces-verbaal" [Results general election 17 March 2021 Report] (PDF). Kiesraad (in Dutch). 29 March 2021. p. 241. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  20. Julen, Jeannine (7 July 2021). "Tabaksfabrikanten nog altijd welkom in Tweede Kamer na draai van het CDA" [Tobacco companies still welcome in the House of Representatives after turn of the CDA]. Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  21. "Gewijzigde motie van de leden Gündogan en Van der Laan over de uitleg van het FCTC-verdrag herzien (t.v.v. 35504-9)" [Altered motion of the members Gündoğan and Van der Laan about revising the interpretation of the WHO FCTC (replacing 35504-9)]. Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  22. "Volt wil overwaarde huizen belasten, Van Rij weet van niets" [Volt wants to tax profits from house sales, Van Rij is not aware of it]. BNR (in Dutch). 4 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  23. "Kamerleden D66 en Volt over bedreigingen: 'Wij trekken hier een streep'" [D66 and Volt House members about threats: 'This is where we draw the line']. RTL Nieuws (in Dutch). 18 November 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  24. Brekelmans, Joyce; Korteweg, Ariejan (13 February 2022). "Nilüfer Gündogan heeft geen idee waarom Volt haar schorst voor grensoverschrijdend gedrag" [Nilüfer Gündogan has no idea why Volt is suspending her due to unacceptable behavior]. de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  25. Keultjes, Hanneke (13 February 2022). "Volt schorst Kamerlid Nilüfer Gündogan vanwege grensoverschrijdend gedrag" [Volt suspends MP Nilüfer Gündogan due to unacceptable behavior]. Het Parool (in Dutch). Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  26. Schmidt, Christoph (14 February 2022). "Meldingen over gedrag Gündogan komen van binnen de Volt-partij" [Reports of behavior Gündogan come from within Volt party]. Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  27. "Kamerlid Gündogan wil zetel behouden, inhoud beschuldiging blijft onduidelijk" [MP Gündogan wants to keep seat, content of accusation remains unclear]. NOS (in Dutch). 15 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  28. "Geschorst Volt-Kamerlid spant kort geding aan tegen partijleiding" [Suspended Volt House member starts preliminary proceedings against party leadership]. FD (in Dutch). 18 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  29. Gündoğan, Nilüfer (13 March 2021). "'De orthodox gelovige woont in mijn ideale wereld in harmonie met de atheïst'" ['In my ideal world, Orthodox believers live in harmony with atheists']. Nieuw Wij (Interview) (in Dutch). Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  30. Munnik, Eva (19 June 2021). "De man van Nilüfer Gündoğan overleed aan kanker: 'Het allerergste is je dierbaren zien lijden'" [Nilüfer Gündoğan's husband died from cancer: 'Seeing your loved ones suffering is the worst thing']. Flair (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  31. "Bas Vogels overleden" [Bas Vogels passed away]. D66 (Press release) (in Dutch). 10 March 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
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