Michiel Hoogeveen

Michiel P. Hoogeveen
Born	(1989-07-06) July 6, 1989 Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands
Occupation(s)	Politician, researcher, former banker
Years active	2016–present
Known for	Member of the European Parliament (2021–2024), States of South Holland (2019–2021)

Michiel P. Hoogeveen (born 6 July 1989) is a Dutch politician associated with the right-wing conservative party JA21. His professional background includes finance and independent research on North Korea. Hoogeveen became a member of Forum for Democracy (FVD) in 2016 and gained election to the States of South Holland in 2019. Following his departure from FVD in 2020, he joined JA21 and represented the party in the European Parliament from April 2021 until July 2024, aligning with the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR).

Early life and education

Born and raised in Leiden, South Holland, Hoogeveen attended Bonaventura College. He graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration from The Hague University of Applied Sciences in 2011. Subsequently, he earned a Master of Science degree in political science at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in 2013, where his thesis concentrated on the economic relations between North and South Korea.

Early career

Hoogeveen’s early professional experience includes positions at financial institutions such as KAS Bank, alongside conducting independent research on North Korea. Between 2014 and 2017, he traveled to North Korea on three occasions. In a 2016 editorial, he criticized Western and United Nations efforts aimed at halting North Korea’s nuclear ambitions as ineffective, advocating instead for diplomatic engagement.

In 2018, he authored Het kluizenaarskoninkrijk: Over de opkomst en toekomst van Noord-Korea (The Hermit Kingdom: About the Rise and Future of North Korea), intending to dispel misinformation and offer a balanced analysis without minimizing the authoritarian nature of Kim Jong-un’s regime. Additionally, Hoogeveen served on the board of Pugwash Netherlands, an organization dedicated to addressing weapons of mass destruction.

Politics

Hoogeveen joined the right-wing conservative Forum for Democracy (FVD) in 2016 after attending a speech by its leader, Thierry Baudet. He secured a seat in the States of South Holland during the March 2019 provincial elections as FVD’s ninth candidate. Two months later, he stood as FVD’s fifth candidate for the European Parliament, resigning from his risk consultant role at KPMG to focus on campaigning. While expressing concerns that European-level policies could erode Dutch identity, he clarified support for reforming the EU and Eurozone rather than immediate withdrawal. Despite receiving 9,521 preference votes, he was not elected due to FVD winning three seats. Subsequently, Hoogeveen served as press officer and political adviser to MEPs Derk Jan Eppink, Rob Roos, and Rob Rooken.

In November 2020, internal turmoil arose within FVD after revelations of antisemitic, Nazi, and homophobic remarks within its youth faction. Hoogeveen called for Baudet’s removal through an internal vote. After Baudet retained leadership, Hoogeveen resigned from FVD but retained his seat alongside four other members from South Holland. He then joined the breakaway party JA21, continuing his advisory role with Eppink, Roos, and Rooken.

Hoogeveen was JA21’s ninth candidate in the 2021 general election but was not elected as the party secured three seats; he obtained 337 preference votes. When Derk Jan Eppink won a seat in the House of Representatives, Hoogeveen succeeded him in the European Parliament on 15 April 2021 as part of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group. He stepped down from the States of South Holland a month later. Within JA21, he became spokesperson for economic and monetary affairs, international trade, and gender equality. His committee assignments included:

• Vice-chairmanship and membership of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
• Membership of the Delegation for relations with the United States
• Substitute membership of the Committee on International Trade
• Substitute membership of the Delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula
• Substitute membership of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

During the inflation surge in 2022, Hoogeveen attributed price increases to expansive government expenditure and monetary policy decisions. He represented the European Parliament in negotiations concerning reforms to European Long Term Investment Funds and acted as shadow rapporteur on a European Commission proposal regarding a digital euro. He opposed introducing a digital euro, describing it as "a solution looking for a problem," cautioning that it might generate confusion, erode trust in financial systems, and potentially trigger bank runs. Hoogeveen also served as rapporteur on legislation mandating that interbank money transfers within Europe be completed within ten seconds.

He maintained criticism of Western strategies toward North Korea, promoting normalization of diplomatic ties rather than insisting on immediate denuclearization to foster trust.

In June 2024, Hoogeveen led JA21’s list for the European Parliament election; however, with only 0.65% of votes cast for the party failing to win any seats, his term concluded on 15 July 2024.

Personal life

During his tenure as a Member of the European Parliament, Hoogeveen moved from Leiden to the neighboring town of Oegstgeest.

Electoral history

Michiel Hoogeveen's electoral record

Year	Institution	Political party		Pos.	Number of votes	Outcome		Ref.
						Seats won by party	Personal result
2024	European Parliament	style="background-color:;"	JA21	1	24,612	0	Template:No2

External links

• Michiel HOOGEVEEN, profile at the European Parliament