Tof Thissen

Tof Thissen (GroenLinks) Member of the Dutch Senate

Christoffel Paul (Tof) Thissen (born on May 19th, 1957 in Roermond) is a Dutch politician. Since 2004 he has been a member of the Senate for GreenLeft (GroenLinks) and since 2007 Thissen has been the leader of GreenLeft.

Political Career

Between 1986 and 2002 Thissen was a member of the Roermond city council. First for Roermond Left, an alliance the PSP and the progressive Christian Political Party of Radicals and later for GreenLeft, was the result of the emerging of two parties. Thissen was very active in the Roermond social movements and civil society. He served as a member of the board of the Roermond branch of Stichting Vluchtelingenwerk (a foundation that helps refugees between 1987 and 1991). He also chaired the Roermond Anti-Discriminationbureau in 1988. In addition he was treasurer of the foundation Roermond Festival, between 1989 and 1994 and he chaired the board of the Roermond Cultural Youth Centre "De Azijnfabriek". He was also active in GreenLeft. Between 1989 and 1994 as member of the Limburg provincial board and between 1989 and 1992 as a member of the GreenLeft national party council. In 1992 Thissen worked as coordinator of a Roermond labour market reintegrationprogram for young people. In 1994 he became alderman in Roermond, where he focused on the portfolios welfare, social security, education, culture and youth. As alderman he had a range of secondary functions in regional social affairs. Since 1998 he was a member of the delegation Association of Netherlands Municipalities with the ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. He also had some national secondary functions in the social sphere. He chaired the national council for the project Heel de Buurt, which worked on urban renewal. He also became chairman of the board of Divosa, the national association of managers in the sphere of labour, income and care. Since 2001 he was suppleant of the Council for Work and Income. In 1998, 2002 and 2003 he was a member of the GreenLeft selection committee for the national elections.

In 2003 Thissen was candidate for the Senate. He received a sixth place on the list. In the elections the party only received five seats. In 2004 Mirjam de Rijk left the Senate and Thissen replaced her. In the Senate, Thissen is active on the portfolios education, finance and health care. Since June 2007, Tof Thissen is the leader of the GreenLeft.

Education

Tof Thissen studied theology at the Higher School for Theology and Pastoral Studies in Heerlen from 1977 until 1982.He also studied Theology (Ethics of the economy), but did not complete the course, at the Catholic University Nijmegen from 1987 until 1990.