Gert Schutte

Gerrit Jan Schutte (24 May 1939 – 25 January 2022) was a Dutch politician and teacher. He was the party leader of the now defunct Reformed Political League (GPV), which later merged into the Christian Union (CU) from 1981 to 2001.

Gert Schutte
Schutte in 1982
Leader of the Reformed Political League
In office 10 June 1981 – 13 February 2001
Preceded by	Bart Verbrugh
Succeeded by	Eimert van Middelkoop
Leader of the Reformed Political League in the House of Representatives
In office 10 June 1981 – 13 February 2001
Preceded by	Bart Verbrugh
Succeeded by	Eimert van Middelkoop
Member of the House of Representatives
In office 10 June 1981 – 13 February 2001
Personal details
Born	Gerrit Jan Schutte 24 May 1939 Nieuwpoort, Netherlands
Died	25 January 2022
Political party	Christian Union (from 2002)
Other political affiliations	Reformed Political League (1973–2002)
Residence	Zeist
Occupation	Politician · Civil servant · Teacher · Author · Columnist

Early life

After finishing high school in 1956 Schutte started working as a civil servant for the municipality of Giessenburg. He would work in the same function for the municipalities of Schoonhoven, Elst en Nieuwpoort. In 1968 until 1981 he was deputy-secretary, the second highest civil servant, of the municipality of Zeist. In the same years he followed a number of educations specializing in governing in local governments. From 1969 until 1974 he also taught Law for Municipalities.

Politics

From 1974 until 1978 Schutte became a member of the States-Provincial of the province of Utrecht for the Reformed Political League. In 1981 he was elected in the Dutch House of Representatives. He was the only representative of his party and, because of that, Parliamentary group leader. In 1989 the party did get a second seat in Parliament and until his resignation in 2001 he worked together with Eimert van Middelkoop. In these years Schutte would become renowned as the Constitutional law conscience of the Parliament. He felt that other politicians didn't pay enough attention to the Constitutional laws.

Later life and death

After his resignation, Schutte served as a member of the Select Board. He also investigated fraud of a number of Dutch institutions in the Higher education and was a member of the committee which was involved in preparing the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.

Schutte was a columnist of the Friesch Dagblad and the Persunie. He was the father of six children and was a member of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated). He died after a short illness on 25 January 2022, at the age of 82.

Decorations

Honours
Ribbon bar	Honour	Country	Date	Comment
	Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau	Netherlands	30 April 1997
	Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion	Netherlands	13 February 2001

External links

Official

• (in Dutch) G.J. (Gert) Schutte Parlement & Politiek