32 Facts About Harmen Krul

Harmen Krul served as a naval officer, rising to the rank of lieutenant before becoming secretary on the boards of two professional associations for officers in 2020.

At the age of 23, Harmen Krul was elected to the Den Helder Municipal Council in 2018 after the CDA asked him to be its lead candidate.

Harmen Krul unsuccessfully ran as the party's youth candidate for the House of Representatives in the 2021 general election but in February 2023, he was appointed to the body after Raymond Knops resigned.

Harmen Krul was born on 19 May 1994 in Blaricum in Gooi, the Netherlands, and grew up in nearby Laren, North Holland.

Harmen Krul attended Lyceum aan Zee high school, graduating with a VWO diploma, and he played football as a center-back at FC Den Helder.

In 2013, Harmen Krul attended the Royal Naval College in Den Helder.

Harmen Krul served as part of the Maritime Battle Staff and as second lieutenant of the Surface Assault and Training Group, which provides logistical support and is based on the island Texel.

Harmen Krul remained stationed there so he could attend municipal council meetings.

In September 2020, Harmen Krul was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.

Harmen Krul simultaneously joined one of its member organizations, the Royal Association of Naval Officers, as secretary.

Harmen Krul had already become a board member of the KVMO and chair of its youth group in 2018.

Harmen Krul has mentioned that the CDA's opposition to defense budget cuts attracted him, and he has called navy office and Prime Minister Piet de Jong his idol.

In 2017, Harmen Krul was asked to give an introduction at a defense-themed CDA campaign event in Den Helder before that year's general election.

At age 23, Harmen Krul was the fourth-youngest lead candidate in the election nationally and the youngest of his party.

Harmen Krul supported a merger of municipalities in the Kop van North Holland region during the campaign, and he complained about the local politics of the last years, arguing in favor of more-constructive cooperation.

Harmen Krul was involved in talks to form a coalition government on behalf of the CDA; he wanted the VVD to join a coalition but BvDH opposed this.

Harmen Krul said he felt betrayed and that those actions further damaged the reputation of Den Helder politics.

Harmen Krul asked BvDH for the initiative for new coalition negotiations after another party withdrew from the secret coalition.

Harmen Krul said farms should be allowed to house 50 rather that 30 seasonal workers to alleviate nuisances in residential areas.

Harmen Krul initially found the latter move unacceptable but later accepted it.

Harmen Krul proposed a recalibration of the coalition agreement and called for ideas from opposition parties.

In 2021, when the government agency Rijkswaterstaat's severe neglect of the historic Den Helder lighthouse Lange Jaap was discovered, Harmen Krul contacted MP Pieter Omtzigt, who had been ejected from the CDA months before.

Harmen Krul introduced a motion urging the municipal executive to consider inclusiveness when granting permits for the arrival of during the yearly namesake tradition.

Harmen Krul ran for a second term in March 2022, again as the CDA's lead candidate.

Harmen Krul advocated a council-wide governing agreement in Den Helder instead of forming a new coalition government, and he promoted his national manifesto "Geen haat in de raad" in favor of cooperation in local politics.

Harmen Krul continued to serve as parliamentary leader until early 2023, when he was appointed to the House of Representatives; he was succeeded by Edwin Krijns and he left the municipal council on 15 May.

Harmen Krul was placed 21st on the CDA's party list in the March 2021 general election, in which the members of the House of Representatives were chosen.

Harmen Krul advocated additional investments in defense and he wrote an opinion piece with MP Pieter Heerma in favor of a compulsory civilian service to bridge gaps between groups in society.

Harmen Krul frequently appeared as a panel member on the BNR Nieuwsradio phone-in news show during the campaign season.

In Den Helder, one-third of CDA voters cast a preference vote for Harmen Krul, giving him nearly as many votes as party leader Wopke Hoekstra in the municipality.

Harmen Krul became the CDA's spokesperson for mobility, defense, and civilian service.

Harmen Krul's partner was a naval officer as of 2020, and their first son was born in October 2022.