Isabelle Diks

Lillian Isabella (Isabelle) Diks (Heerlen, 25 July 1965) is a Dutch GreenLeft politician. Between september 1 2008 and january 1 2009 she will replace Member of Parliament Mariko Peters as member of the Tweede Kamer. Peters is on maternity leave.

Diks attended the gymnasium, specializing in arts between 1977 and 1983. She studied a year at the Academy of Creative Art in Maastricht and continued to study at the Fashion Academy Charles Montaigne in Amsterdam (between 1984 and 1986). Between 1987 and 1988 she worked as a stylist. Since 1988 Diks worked as an independent designer of wedding dresses and evening gowns in Apeldoorn. In 2006 she quit her business to move to Leeuwarden. Between 2002 and 2004 she studied cultural studies at the Open University (without graduating). Since 2004 she had been studying International Relations at the University of Groningen, where she specialized in European cooperation, international law and European law. She also owns and operates a bed and breakfast in Leeuwarden (since 2006).

Diks had been active within the GreenLeft since 1994. First in the municipal council of Apeldoorn, where she served as chair of the local parliamentary party and as member of the board of the regional water board, and later as member of the States-Provincial in Gelderland, where she served as vice-chair (2003-2006). Between 2006 and 2008 she was a member of the national board of the GreenLeft, where she served as international secretary. In 2006 she stood on the list for the elections on the tenth place. She was not elected.

In August 2008 it was announced that Diks would temporarily replace Mariko Peters as MP. Between September 1 2008 and January 1 2009 Peters would be on maternity leave. The Dutch Tweede Kamer has a special regulation that MPs on maternity leave can replaced temporarily without giving up their seats. Formally Matthieu Heemelaar was the candidate to succeed Peters as he was higher on the list, but he left the honour to Diks, as Diks, a specialist on international affairs and the international secretary of the party had the expertise to replace Peters', the foreign affairs spokesperson of the GreenLeft. As of 1 January 2008 she will become alderwoman in Leeuwarden.