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Dion Graus
Dion Graus
Dion Graus
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Dion Jean Gilbert Graus (born 19 March 1967 in Heerlen) is a Dutch politician. He has been an MP on behalf of the Party for Freedom (Partij voor de Vrijheid, PVV) since 30 November 2006.

Key Information

Graus is a former car salesman and sales representative in veterinary products, and worked for the local Limburg television station TV Limburg.

Political career

[edit]

He was first elected to the House in the 2006 general election, and he focused on matters of agriculture, animal rights, small and medium enterprises, public transport, aviation and rail transport.[1]

Graus secured a sixth term in November 2023, when the PVV received a plurality in a general election, and his portfolio includes animal welfare and NVWA [nl].[2] Through the backing of the PVV, a proposal passed the House in March 2024 to weaken an earlier amendment prescribing that animals should be able to exhibit natural behavior. Graus was the only member of his parliamentary group who voted in favor of an unsuccessful alternative proposal by the Party for the Animals (PvdD) that preserved the original amendment, which had been supported by the PVV in 2021, by defining natural behaviors.[3] A motion by Graus and Ines Kostić (PvdD) was carried the same year urging the government to ban the trade and ownership of animals prohibited from breeding, such as pugs and Sphynx cats.[4][5] He also proposed to neuter wolves, after the return of the species to the Netherlands had caused disturbances.[6]

Controversy

[edit]

In December 2006, stories in the Dutch media erupted accusing Graus of having a history of unpaid bills, fraud, lawsuits, disgruntled employers and abusive relations with women.[7] The Dutch justice department later reported that three counts filed against Graus were dismissed, without going into details about the other accusations.[8] In addition, the newspaper de Volkskrant on January 27, 2007 found several NRC allegations lacking substance e.g. the bills had been paid after all. The newspaper also reported that Graus had the full confidence of party leader Geert Wilders.[9]

Electoral history

[edit]
Electoral history of Dion Graus
Year Body Party Pos. Votes Result Ref.
Party seats Individual
2006 House of Representatives Party for Freedom 6 1,296 9 Won [10]
2010 House of Representatives Party for Freedom 9 2,435 24 Won [11]
2012 House of Representatives Party for Freedom 11 2,387 15 Won [12]
2017 House of Representatives Party for Freedom 12 3,725 20 Won [13]
2021 House of Representatives Party for Freedom 13 1,194 17 Won [14]
2023 House of Representatives Party for Freedom 14 1,548 37 Won [15]
2025 House of Representatives Party for Freedom 18 977 26 Won [16]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Dion Graus

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from Grokipedia
Dion Jean Gilbert Graus (born 19 March 1967) is a Dutch politician who has served as a Member of the House of Representatives for the Party for Freedom (PVV) since 30 November 2006. Born in Heerlen, Limburg, he entered politics after careers in automotive sales, veterinary product representation, and as a television producer and presenter for a local Limburg station focused on animal-related content. Graus advocates prominently for animal welfare, serving on parliamentary committees related to agriculture, nature, and food security, where he pushes for enhanced protection and care of animals. As a PVV member, his positions align with the party's emphasis on restricting immigration and prioritizing Dutch interests, often expressed in outspoken parliamentary debates. He has faced multiple public controversies, including allegations of domestic abuse reported by his ex-wife, though Graus has denied such claims.

Early life and career

Birth and early years

Dion Jean Gilbert Graus was born on 19 March 1967 in Heerlen, in the southern Dutch province of Limburg. He was raised in a Roman Catholic household, with his early life closely tied to the local community in Heerlen. Graus completed his secondary education at Grotius College in Heerlen from 1980 to 1986, followed by atheneum studies at Zuidlimburgs Avondcollege, earning his pre-university diploma in July 1989.

Pre-political professions

Before entering politics, Dion Graus pursued a diverse career in sales and media, with roles that often intersected with animals and regional Limburg interests. From 1991 to 1996, he held various positions in sales, marketing, and public relations management within the automotive sector, including work as a car salesman. Graus then transitioned to the veterinary field, serving as a sales representative at AST-Farma from 1997 to 1999. He progressed to leadership roles, acting as managing director of Anisane/Chassot NL from 1999 to 2002 and manager of Nutraceuticals at Chassot/Vétoquinol Benelux from 2002 to 2003, focusing on animal health products. From 2003 to 2006, he worked as a freelance TV producer and presenter for the local station TV Limburg, notably hosting the animal-focused program Beesten met Dion from 2004 to 2006. These experiences in veterinary sales and animal media provided foundational exposure to welfare issues that later shaped his advocacy.

Political career

Entry into parliament

Dion Graus joined the newly formed Party for Freedom (PVV), founded by Geert Wilders in 2006 as a breakaway from established politics focused on anti-immigration and cultural preservation themes, and was placed sixth on the party's candidate list for the Dutch general election held on 22 November 2006. The PVV's unexpected breakthrough, securing nine seats amid a fragmented political landscape, enabled Graus to enter the House of Representatives on 30 November 2006, marking his debut in national politics as one of the party's early representatives known for direct communication styles. His prior role as a television presenter for a local Limburg animal program had honed public speaking skills that aligned with the PVV's emphasis on charismatic, unfiltered advocacy.

Parliamentary activities

Dion Graus has served continuously as a Member of the House of Representatives for the Party for Freedom (PVV) since his election in 2006. As of recent records, his tenure totals over 6,900 days. Graus has been involved in several parliamentary committees, including those on Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature; Economic Affairs; and Health, Welfare and Sport. He has participated actively in debates, occasionally chairing sessions to maintain order during proceedings.

Political positions

Animal rights advocacy

Graus has long been recognized within the Party for Freedom (PVV) as its primary advocate for animal welfare, often referred to as "Mister Dierenambassadeur" due to his lifelong passion for animals and opposition to mistreatment or neglect. His pre-political experience as a veterinary sales representative further fueled this commitment, leading him to prioritize animal protection in his parliamentary role. In the House of Representatives, Graus has championed measures to enhance animal protections, including the establishment of an alarm hotline for reporting abuse, a dedicated animal police unit, a forensic team for investigating animal deaths, and stricter penalties such as prison terms for perpetrators of cruelty. He has collaborated across party lines on initiatives like mandatory grazing for cows and a ban on , emphasizing that animal welfare transcends political divides. Graus entered politics specifically to advance these causes, viewing animals as deserving of care and empathy independent of human agendas. His advocacy extends to wildlife issues, notably in heated debates on wolf policy where he has delivered passionate defenses against broad culling, arguing instead for population control through birth regulation and intervention only in cases of direct threat to humans. Graus portrays wolves as unfairly stigmatized "pariahs" and stresses moral responsibility in human-animal interactions, aligning his efforts with PVV's broader platform while pushing for stringent enforcement against abuse.

Views on immigration

Graus has expressed strong alignment with the Party for Freedom's (PVV) anti-immigration platform, which emphasizes halting asylum inflows and restricting immigration from Muslim-majority countries. He has defended controversial PVV slogans such as "minder Marokkanen" (fewer Moroccans), voicing frustration over the need to repeatedly justify positions on reducing Moroccan immigration alongside critiques of Islamic influence. In a 2014 parliamentary motion, Graus called for prohibiting Muslims from employment in Schiphol Airport's security zone, arguing it posed risks to national safety amid broader concerns over integration and loyalty. Graus has criticized Muslim religious practices that he views as incompatible with Dutch cultural norms, particularly ritual slaughter without stunning, which he described as "severe forms of animal abuse" tied to iftar meals and broader Islamization trends. He requested an emergency debate on slaughter methods, warning that increasing Islamization impacts not only people but also animals, and pointed to instances of such practices in "small flats three high behind," implying poor adaptation to societal standards.

Controversies

Personal allegations

In 2019, the ex-wife of Dion Graus filed a police complaint alleging mental and physical abuse, including an incident where he struck her and coerced her into sexual acts with his bodyguards. In 2021, she provided additional details to investigators about forced sexual encounters with third parties during their marriage, but prosecutors declined to pursue charges due to insufficient evidence of criminality. Graus has faced further accusations of sexual intimidation and misuse of power from a former PVV parliamentary assistant, who claimed he pressured her to consume alcohol, dance provocatively, and engage in unwanted physical contact while employed in his office. Graus denied these claims, describing them as part of an internal party plot against him, and no formal charges resulted from the investigation. These allegations have drawn media scrutiny but have not led to his removal from the PVV or parliament.

Public statements and disputes

Graus has faced accusations of anti-Semitism primarily linked to his advocacy for banning ritual slaughter, which he described as "ritual torture" of animals in parliamentary debates. Critics, including Israel's Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yonah Metzger, argued that Graus's repeated targeting of Jewish practices echoed historical anti-Semitic tropes against kosher slaughter. Party leader Geert Wilders defended Graus, asserting he was not anti-Semitic and emphasizing the PVV's opposition to such prejudice within its ranks. In parliamentary debates, Graus has been known for passionate and confrontational rhetoric, such as during discussions on wolf management policy, where he vehemently opposed culling measures and accused opponents of treating wolves as "pariahs." His outbursts in these sessions, including demonstrations on scaring off wolves, have sparked heated exchanges with other MPs and drawn attention for their intensity. Following the departure of seven PVV MPs in January 2026, Graus publicly labeled the defectors as "traitors," "mutineers," and "rats," framing their exit as a betrayal of the party. This statement intensified internal party tensions amid the schism.

References

  1. https://www.houseofrepresentatives.nl/members_of_parliament/members_of_parliament/graus-djg-pvv
  2. https://www.houseofrepresentatives.nl/members_of_parliament/members_of_parliament/graus-djg-pvv/biography
  3. https://www.dutchnews.nl/2019/01/pvv-mp-dion-graus-accused-of-mental-and-physical-abuse-of-ex-wife/
  4. https://www.parlement.com/biografie/djg-dion-graus
  5. https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerleden_en_commissies/alle_kamerleden/graus-djg-pvv/biografie
  6. https://www.ad.nl/show/opnames-dierenprogramma-dion-graus-begonnen~aeb5cba9/
  7. https://www.parlement.com/pvv-en-tweede-kamerverkiezingen-2006
  8. https://www.houseofrepresentatives.nl/members_of_parliament/members_of_parliament/graus-djg-pvv/extra-activities
  9. https://nltimes.nl/2024/02/09/bbb-leader-report-d66-mp-latest-clash-prompted-leave-debate
  10. https://www.pvv.nl/index.php/fracties/tweede-kamer/dion-graus/curriculum-vitae.html
  11. https://www.groene.nl/artikel/ik-vertrouw-dieren-meer-dan-mensen
  12. https://www.dutchnews.nl/2025/03/caroline-van-der-plas-bares-fangs-in-heated-debate-over-wolf/
  13. https://nltimes.nl/2025/03/26/government-parties-okay-culling-wolves-unclear-conditions
  14. https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2021/02/12/de-wereld-van-dion-a4031430
  15. https://www.dutchnews.nl/2014/12/dutch-mp-calls-for-ban-on-muslims-working-in-schiphol-security-zone/
  16. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/10/955
  17. https://nos.nl/artikel/2411378-pvv-kamerlid-dion-graus-niet-vervolgd-na-aangifte-seksuele-uitbuiting
  18. https://nltimes.nl/2021/06/05/graus-accused-sexual-misconduct-former-party-employee
  19. https://www.dutchnews.nl/2021/06/pvv-mp-again-accused-of-abusing-woman-this-time-a-parliamentary-worker/
  20. https://nos.nl/artikel/2383673-nieuwe-beschuldigingen-van-misbruik-tegen-pvv-kamerlid-dion-graus
  21. https://www.nu.nl/politiek/6137668/pvver-graus-zou-na-nieuwe-misbruikbeschuldiging-uit-kamer-zijn-verbannen.html
  22. https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/4276831
  23. https://forward.com/fast-forward/161891/rabbi-blasts-dutch-leader-over-kosher-slaughter/
  24. https://wiesenthal.org/news/about/news/dutch-freedom-party-urged-to.html
  25. https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/a-black-day-for-the-pvv-as-7-mps-leave-the-party/
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