Former Drenthe MP Pieter Hofstra (VVD) died last week, his family announced. Hofstra was 78 years old and died in Heerenveen. He is survived by his wife, three daughters and six grandchildren.
Pieter Hofstra, born in Groningen but living for many years in Vries, Paterswolde, Tynaarlo and Zuidlaren, was a member of the Senate and House of Representatives on behalf of the VVD. In 1994 he won a seat in the House of Representatives and remained active there for twelve years. From 2007 to 2011 he was a senator in the Senate, also on behalf of the VVD.
As a politician he was much concerned with transport, in all kinds of forms. For example, he defended the interests of motorists several times, argued for the introduction of a kilometer tax and was concerned with the importance of public transport.
Traffic and transport also played an important role in his life outside politics. Before his political career, Pieter Hofstra was director or co-owner of various consultancy companies in the field of traffic, construction, real estate and advertising. He also taught traffic engineering in Groningen and Leeuwarden.
Furthermore, several additional functions of the former MP were also related to traffic and transport. Pieter Hofstra was, among other things, chairman of Royal Dutch Transport, chairman of Museum Railway STAR in Stadskanaal and chairman of the Friends of the TT Circuit foundation in Assen.
The former MP from Zuidlaren was a regular guest in the Radio Drenthe program Cassata. There he talked about, among other things, his plea for road pricing, about whether or not to form a right-wing cabinet in 2010 and as an advocate for job creation at Eelde airport. Presenter Margriet Benak: “I regularly invited Pieter Hofstra to the Cassata forum, because he did not mince his words and liked to give his unvarnished opinion.”
That is also the image that former VVD MP Erik Ziengs from Assen has. “I like to describe him as a flamboyant Burgundian who dared to take a strong stand.” Ziengs and Hofstra were never MPs at the same time, but the paths of both VVD members crossed regularly. Most recently as talent scouts for the VVD; Ziengs in Drenthe, Hofstra in Friesland.
Erik Ziengs first met Pieter Hofstra at the beginning of his own political career: “I was active as a VVD member in Assen and was allowed to prepare the campaign for the House of Representatives elections. We were appointed Pieter as the Member of Parliament who walked with us during the campaigning in the city. We found that very exciting at the time, such a meeting with an MP. One Saturday afternoon he bravely participated in our campaign team. And after that we had a drink with the team and Pieter also stayed and did It was so nice and enjoyable with him for another hour and a half.”
Ziengs sees Hofstra mainly as the VVD’s infrastructure and highways man. “He was the embodiment of the VVD as a ‘vroomvroom party’, the car party. He always stood up for motorists.”
Pieter Hofstra died after a short illness. His funeral was private.