Paul Smeulders | |
---|---|
Member of the House of Representatives | |
In office 6 June 2018 – 30 March 2021 | |
Preceded by | Linda Voortman |
Alderman of Arnhem | |
Assumed office 2022 | |
Alderman of Helmond | |
In office 2014–2018 | |
Member of the Provincial Council of North Brabant | |
In office 2011–2014 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Paul Smeulders 15 July 1987 Helmond, Netherlands |
Political party | GroenLinks |
Alma mater | |
Occupation | Politician |
Paul Smeulders (Dutch pronunciation: [pʌul ˈsmøːldərs]; born 15 July 1987) is a Dutch politician of GroenLinks.
Born in Helmond, Smeulders studied public administration successively at the Avans University of Applied Sciences and Tilburg University between 2004 and 2010. He worked as a public affairs adviser at Vereniging Natuurmonumenten, and he became a member of the Provincial Council of North Brabant in 2011, serving as GroenLinks's parliamentary leader.[1] Smeulders left the council in 2014 to become alderman for finances, sustainability, and land in Helmond.[1][2]
He did not secure a seat in the House of Representatives in the 2017 general election, but he was appointed to the body in June 2018 to succeed Linda Voortman.[3] Smeulders lost his bid for re-election in 2021, bringing his membership of the House to an end on 30 March.[4][5] He was appointed alderman for finances, housing, and refugees in Arnhem the following year after having formed the municipality's executive as (in)formateur.[2][6] He announced in 2024 that Arnhem would house 1,700 asylum seekers for the next 30 years – 980 more than required by the national government – and he signaled that refugees were welcome.[7]