Dirk Gotink

Dirk Gotink
Official portrait, 2024
Member of the European Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office
16 July 2024
Parliamentary groupEuropean People's Party Group
ConstituencyNetherlands
Personal details
Born (1981-08-13) 13 August 1981 (age 45)
Haarlem, Netherlands
PartyIndependent (since 2026)
Other political
affiliations
NSC (2023–2026)
CDA (until 2023)
Occupation
  • Politician
  • political staffer

Dirk Gotink (Dutch: [ˈdɪr(ə)k ˈxoːtɪŋk]; born 13 August 1981) is a Dutch politician serving as a member of the European Parliament. Prior to October 2026, he was a member of the Christian-democratic New Social Contract (NSC) party. He was also a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) before 2023.

Early career

Gotink worked in European politics for seventeen years, including as spokesperson for the European People's Party (EPP) and as assistant to Manfred Weber.

Political career

Gotink first ran for the European Parliament in 2014 on the CDA's party list.

When Pieter Omtzigt, a former CDA member, founded the New Social Contract (NSC) party in August 2023, Gotink joined. At the time, he argued the CDA had lost its critical voice with regard to the European Union. Gotink was chosen to serve as NSC's lead candidate in the June 2024 European Parliament election. He planned to contain the EU's climate policy and financial solidarity between member states in an energy transition. In the campaign, he also decried European regulations, stating they threatened Dutch traditions such as Easter fires and rookworst. NSC won one seat in the election, joining the European People's Party Group, and Gotink was elected.

In 2026, Gotink represented the European Parliament in the selection process that decided on Lille as the host city of the newly established European Union Customs Authority (EUCA).

In October 2026, Gotink would leave his party, the New Social Contract, due to its decision to explore collaboration with Eurosceptic politician Mona Keijzer. This would leave the NSC without representation in the European Parliament.

European Parliament committees

Electoral history

Electoral history of Dirk Gotink
Year Body Party Pos. Votes Result Ref.
Party seats Individual
2024 European Parliament New Social Contract 1 136,176 1 Won
2025 House of Representatives 30 35 0 Lost

References

  1. 1 2 3 Aharouay, Lamyae; Van de Wiel, Clara (29 May 2024). "Hoe Nederland een opt-out in de EU krijgt? 'Ik begrijp dat jullie mij daarover tegen de wand willen spijkeren'" [How will the Netherlands get an opt-out from the EU? 'I am sensing that you are trying to pin me to the wall on that']. NRC (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  2. ↑ "Wat staat er op het spel voor de Nederlandse partijen bij de Europese verkiezingen? Ook de winnaar in zetels kan met lege handen staan" [What is at stake for Dutch parties in the European election? The winner of most seats could end up empty-handed]. NRC (in Dutch). 5 June 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Proces-verbaal centraal stembureau uitslag verkiezing Europees Parlement Model P22-1" [Central electoral council report of the results of the election of the European Parliament Model P22-1] (PDF). Dutch Electoral Council (in Dutch). 19 June 2024. pp. 31–32, 47. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  4. ↑ Giorgio Leali and Koen Verhelst (2 April 2026), The inside story of how France clinched the EU’s new customs authority Politico Europe.
  5. ↑ "Laatste actieve NSC'er vertrekt, wil niet samenwerken met Mona Keijzer" [Last active NSC'er leaves, does not want to cooperate with Mona Keijzer]. NOS (in Dutch). 7 October 2026. Retrieved 8 October 2026.
  6. ↑ "10th parliamentary term | Dirk GOTINK". European Parliament. 13 August 1981. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  7. ↑ "Proces-verbaal van het centraal stembureau met de uitslag van de verkiezing van de Tweede Kamer 2025 d.d. 7 november 2025" [Report of the central electoral committee with the results of the 2025 election of the House of Representatives dated 7 November 2025] (PDF). Electoral Council (in Dutch). 7 November 2025. pp. 147–148. Retrieved 21 November 2025.