Julius Terpstra

Julius Huibert Terpstra (born February 21, 1989) is a Dutch politician, who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the years 2020–21. He is a member of the political party Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). Before being an MP, he served as in the Leiden municipal council and as chair of Christian Democratic Youth Appeal, CDA's youth organization.
Early life and education.
Terpstra was born in Emmeloord, a town in Flevoland, on February 21, 1989. He attended Greijdanus College before studying in England for one year. Subsequently, he studied history at Leiden University between 2009 and 2015, earning a Master of Arts degree. While studying, he was a member of the fraternity Navigators and played soccer at LSVV '70.
In 2009, he joined the Leiden affiliate of Christian Democratic Youth Appeal (CDJA) as treasurer. One year later, he became the leader of CDJA Leiden, a position in which he served for two years. Terpstra was elected chair of the national organization CDJA in May 2013 by its members. His second term began two years later. During his tenure, he advocated for a constitutional requirement for a balanced budget, increasing spending on defense, banning the sale of tobacco in supermarkets, and reinstituting conscription. Furthermore, he opposed an elected instead of an appointed mayor. Terpstra stepped down as chair on January 1, 2017 to focus on his job and his campaign to become a member of the House of Representatives.
Career.
He participated in the 2014 municipal elections, being sixth on CDA's party list in Leiden. Terpstra was not elected, as his party received four seats. In May, he was appointed in the Leiden municipal council. In August 2016, Terpstra took a job at Nautus, an Amersfoort consultancy firm for municipalities. When CDA won three seats in Leiden during the 2018 municipal elections, he was fourth on the party list. He remained a . Shortly after becoming a member of parliament in 2020, he left Nautus and the Leiden municipal council. In the municipal council, he had been on the education and society committee and had focussed on sport policy.
House of Representatives (2020–2021).
Terpstra ran for House member during the 2017 general election. During the campaign, he said that abolishing the student loan system was his priority. He was placed 23rd on the CDA's party list and received 1,477 preferential votes. His party won nineteen seats, resulting in Terpstra not being elected. After Erik Ronnes had vacated his seat to join North Brabant's provincial-executive, Terpstra was sworn in as MP on May 20, 2020. Terpstra became the CDA's spokesperson in the area of housing, spatial planning, and the Environment and Planning Act. In the House, he was a member of the Committee for the Interior.
He has advocated addressing the Dutch housing shortage and reducing difficulties that young people have when trying to buy their first house. In July 2020, Terpstra introduced a motion, that was approved unanimously by the House, calling for the consideration of previous rent payments when applying for a mortgage. He has also unsuccessfully called for the interior minister to force Utrecht to build 25,000–30,000 homes in the polders Rijnenburg and Reijerscop. A motion by Terpstra and Daniel Koerhuis was narrowly passed by the House.
Terpstra was the 20th candidate of the CDA during the 2021 general election. He was not re-elected, as his party won fifteen seats. Terpstra personally received 1,297 votes.
Personal life.
While an MP, Terpstra lived in the South Holland city Leiden with his wife Kirsten Kok. They met while studying and married in July 2018. "Nederlands Dagblad" reported in 2013 that Terpstra was a member of the Reformed Church (Liberated).