Mr. M. (Maarten) van Traa - Main contents

Member of the Dutch House of Representatives from 1986 to 1997. A prominent member of the Dutch socialist party. His prestige is reflected in the position he held as spokesperson for foreign affairs as well as immigration policies. Praised for the way Van Traa chaired a parliamentary inquiry into methods used in police investigations.

Maarten van Traa has a background in journalism. He was employed by several Dutch broadcasting organisation as well as the prestigious French newspaper Le Monde. Before entering active political life Van Traa was a well known figure in the movement for disarmament.

Name and surname

Maarten van Traa

Date of birth

May 18th 1945

Place of Birth

Oegstgeest (The Netherlands)

Place and date of death

Amsterdam, October 21st 1997

Family

P.C. van Traa (stephfather, professor)

• H. 

  Van der Burg (mother)

D.A. de Pury (first spouse, divorced)

• A. 

  Ch. Van Es (second spouse, politician of renown)

One daughter (from his first marriage)

Studied political science in France and the United States.

PvdA (Dutch Labour Party) from 1974

Party-political functions

• - 

  bureau member of the federation of European Socialist Parties
• - 

  secretary of the Committee on disarmament of the Socialist International Movement
• - 

  member of the inner circle of the parliamentary group of the PvdA in the House of Representatives

• - 

  journalist at ‘Algemeen Handelsblad’ newspaper, from 1968 to 1970
• - 

  journalist at ‘Le Monde’ newspaper, from 1970 to 1972
• - 

  foreign staff-member tv-programmes VPRO, from 1972 to 1979
• - 

  staff-member tv-programmes NOS (Netherlands Broadcasting Foundation) from 1977 to 1979
• - 

  freelancer (correspondent in the Netherlands) for ‘Le Monde’ from 1975 to 1979
• - 

  international secretary of the PvdA, from May 1979 to April 1987
• - 

  member of the Dutch House of Representatives from June 3rd 1986 to October 21st 1997

• - 

  secretary of the committee against cruise missiles (these were to be placed on Dutch territory)
• - 

  member of the group against nuclear armament
• - 

  member of the Trilateral Commission

• - 

  Prominent politician, he was PvdA-spokesperson for both foreign affairs and on immigration
• - 

  Voted against The Netherlands joining Schengen in 1992, against the party-line
• - 

  Led the parliamentary inquiry on methods employed by the policy to obtain evidence