Kars Veling (born 30 June 1948) is a retired Dutch politician and philosopher. A member of the

Reformed Political League The Reformed Political LeagueTranslation used by Rudy Andeweg, Andeweg and Irwin in ''Governance and Politics of the Netherlands'' (2002: 45) (, GPV) was an orthodox Protestant list of political parties in the Netherlands, political party in the ...

(GPV) and later Christian Union (CU), he served as

Leader of the Christian Union The Party leader, Leader of the Christian Union is the most senior politician within the Christian Union (Netherlands), Christian Union (, CU) in the Netherlands. The post is currently held by Mirjam Bikker, who succeeded Gert-Jan Segers in 2023. ...

from 2001 to 2002.

Education

Veling followed the HBS-B education in Groningen, the town where he was born. After finishing the HBS, he studied Mathematics, physics and astronomy at the

University of Groningen The University of Groningen (abbreviated as UG; , abbreviated as RUG) is a Public university#Continental Europe, public research university of more than 30,000 students in the city of Groningen (city), Groningen, Netherlands. Founded in 1614, th ...

, where he received his candidate exam (comparable with a bachelor's degree). After that he studies

philosophy Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

and promoted at the faculty of social sciences of the

University of Leiden Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; ) is a public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. Established in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange as a Protestant institution, it holds the distinction of being the oldest university in the Neth ...

in 1982.

Career

After finishing his study in Groningen in 1969, Veling started as a teacher in mathematics for five years in Groningen. From 1972 until 1987 he taught philosophy at the ''Gereformeerde Sociale Academie'' (Reformed Social Academy) in

Zwolle Zwolle () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Northeastern Netherlands. It is the Capital city, capital of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Overijssel ...

. He was vice director of that academy from 1974 until 1980. He was also lector at the theological Kampen Theological University of the Reformed Churches (Liberated) from 1972 until 1987, when he became special professor at the same university ( dissertation: ''Methodologie en de grondslagen van een pluriforme sociologie'' (methodology and the foundations of a pluriform sociology)). In 1988 Veling became vice rector of the reformed high school-group ''Prof.dr. S. Greijdanus'' in

for seven years. From 11 June 1991 until 12 November 2002 Veling was member of the Dutch Parliament. Until 16 May 2002 he was member of the First Chamber (Senate) of the Parliament, the rest of the time member of the Second Chamber and president of the fraction of the Christen Union. First, Veling represented the GPV in the parliament, and after the fusion with the RPF he was fraction president of the joint fraction of GPV and RPF and after the May 2002 elections the Christen Union. After his party lost the elections of November 2002, Veling stepped down from the politics, and returned in June 2003 to education. He became rector of the Johan de Witt College school group in The Hague.

Decorations

References

External links

Dr. K. (Kars) Veling
Parlement & Politiek
Dr. K. Veling (ChristenUnie)
Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal {{DEFAULTSORT:Veling, Kars 1948 births Living people Christian Union (Netherlands) politicians Dutch academic administrators Dutch Calvinist and Reformed theologians Dutch ethicists Dutch historians of religion Dutch historians of philosophy Dutch MPs 2002–2003 Dutch nonprofit executives Dutch nonprofit directors Dutch activists Dutch political writers Leaders of the Christian Union (Netherlands) Leiden University alumni Members of the Senate (Netherlands) Officers of the Order of Orange-Nassau Politicians from Groningen (city) People from Zwolle Reformed Churches (Liberated) Christians from the Netherlands Reformed Political League politicians University of Groningen alumni 20th-century Dutch educators 20th-century Dutch male writers 20th-century Dutch politicians 20th-century Dutch philosophers 21st-century Dutch educators 21st-century Dutch male writers 21st-century Dutch philosophers