Henk Krol

Henk Krol
Krol in 2013
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 10 September 2014 – 30 March 2021
In office 20 September 2012 – 4 October 2013
Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives
In office 6 May 2020 – 8 August 2020
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Office discontinued
In office 10 September 2014 – 3 May 2020
Preceded by	Martine Baay-Timmerman
Succeeded by	Corrie van Brenk
In office 20 September 2012 – 4 October 2013
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Norbert Klein
Leader of the Party for the Future
In office 3 May 2020 – 18 October 2020
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Office discontinued
Leader of 50PLUS
In office 8 October 2016 – 3 May 2020
Preceded by	Jan Nagel
Succeeded by	Liane den Haan
In office 12 January 2012 – 4 October 2013
Preceded by	Jan Nagel
Succeeded by	Jan Nagel
Personal details
Born	Henricus Cornelis Maria Krol 1 April 1950 Tilburg, Netherlands
Political party	Belang van Nederland (since 2023)
Other political affiliations	VVD (1977–2011) 50PLUS (2011–2020) Party for the Future (2020) Henk Krol List (2020–2022)
Alma mater	Free University Amsterdam (Bachelor of Philosophy)
Occupation	Politician journalist businessman activist

Henricus Cornelis Maria "Henk" Krol (Dutch pronunciation: [ɦɛnˈrikʏs kɔrˈneːlɪs maːˈrijaː ˈɦɛŋk ˈkrɔl]; born 1 April 1950) is a Dutch journalist, publisher, entrepreneur, activist and politician. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 10 September 2014. He used to be the leader of 50PLUS, but left the party in 2020, due to disagreements with the rest of the party's leadership. From 3 May to 18 October 2020, Krol was the leader of the Party for the Future.

Career

Krol served as the main spokesman for the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) in the House of Representatives from 1978 until 1985.

Krol was editor-in-chief of the magazine Gay Krant, which he founded in 1980.

Between March 2011 and September 2012, he was member of the States-Provincial of North Brabant.

For the 2012 general election Krol was the lijsttrekker (top candidate) for the Pensioners' Party 50PLUS.

Krol was the Parliamentary leader of 50PLUS in the House of Representatives from 13 September 2012 until 4 October 2013 and a Member of the House of Representatives from 20 September 2012 until 4 October 2013.

On 4 October 2013, de Volkskrant published an article alleging that Krol withheld pension money from his employees from 2004 until 2007, and then again in 2009, while working for the Gay Krant. De Volkskrant said that the tip-off leading to the article had come via Publeaks NL, a new Dutch anonymous whistleblowing initiative. The same day, Krol announced his resignation from the House of Representatives in a letter, admitting that he made 'many mistakes'. Although he did not address the allegations directly, he concluded that "it is impossible for me to continue in my function as representative". He was replaced in the House of Representatives by Martine Baay-Timmerman on 29 October 2013.

He was elected with preferential votes for the Ouderen Appèl party to the municipal council of Eindhoven in March 2014. Krol returned to the House of Representatives on 10 September 2014, when Martine Baay-Timmerman went on sick leave.

After disagreements with the party top of 50PLUS he resigned from the leadership position and exited the party. He founded the Party for the Future together with formerly independent member of the House of Representatives Femke Merel van Kooten, but left the party a few months later.

Electoral history

Decorations

• Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands, 1999)