Johan Houwers

Johan Houwers (born 4 October 1957 in Winterswijk) is a Dutch politician and real estate broker. As a member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie) he was an MP from 26 October 2010 to 20 September 2012. He focused on matters of greenhouses, fishery, hunting, animal welfare, spatial planning and water. From 8 November 2012 he once again was an MP, resigning on 22 July 2013 following to a mortgage fraud investigation. After the possible return of the wolf to the Netherlands, Houwers mentioned that if the population numbers rose, wolves should be shot so they would not present a harm to society. Houwers clashed with the coalition Labour Party politician Lutz Jacobi on the topic.[1]

Houwers has been a member of the municipal council of Winterswijk from 1990 to 2002 and again since 11 March 2010. From 1990 to 1994 and again since 2010 he has also been VVD fraction leader. From 1994 to 2001 he was also an alderman and from 1999 to 2010 a member of the States-Provincial of Gelderland.

Houwers studied social geography (BA) as well as urban planning (MA) at Radboud University Nijmegen.

Mortgage fraud investigation

On 22 July 2013 Houwers resigned his seat after it was revealed that the police started an investigation into him concerning possible mortgage fraud. Aegon and Rabobank, the mortgage providers, filed charges against him because he did not represent his income correctly. On 31 July justice authorities seized Houwers property in Winterswijk for 1 million euro. Houwers said he would wait for the outcome of the investigation before responding to the press.[2] On March 16, 2015, he was found guilty of forgery and fraud and had to pay a fine of €4000.[3] According to the fraction leader of the VVD in Parliament, Halbe Zijlstra, he cannot return as a MP for the VVD[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Winterswijks Kamerlid Houwers: 'Wolf afschieten'" (in Dutch). Tubantia. 10 July 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  2. ↑ "Justitie legt beslag op landgoed oud-VVD'er Johan Houwers" (in Dutch). Algemeen Dagblad. 31 July 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  3. ↑ "Boete voor geschorst VVD-Kamerlid wegens oplichting" (in Dutch). De Gelderlander. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  4. ↑ "VVD-fractie weert Houwers na hypotheekfraude" (in Dutch). De Gelderlander. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.


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