| Kars Veling | |
| Office: | Leader of the Christian Union in the House of Representatives |
| Term Start: | 23 May 2002 |
| Term End: | 12 November 2002 |
| Predecessor: | Leen van Dijke |
| Successor: | André Rouvoet |
| Office1: | Member of the House of Representatives |
| Term Start1: | 23 May 2002 |
| Term End1: | 12 November 2002 |
| Office2: | Leader of the Christian Union |
| Term Start2: | 17 January 2001 |
| Term End2: | 12 November 2002 |
| Predecessor2: | Office established |
| Successor2: | André Rouvoet |
| Office3: | Member of the Senate |
| Term Start3: | 11 June 1991 |
| Term End3: | 15 May 2002 |
| Office4: | Leader of the Reformed Political League in the Senate |
| Term Start4: | 11 June 1991 |
| Term End4: | 8 June 1999 |
| Predecessor4: | Jan van der Jagt |
| Successor4: | Egbert Schuurman |
| Birth Date: | 1948 6, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Groningen, Netherlands |
| Nationality: | Dutch |
| Party: | Christian Union (from 2002) |
| Otherparty: | Reformed Political League (1970–2002) |
| Residence: | The Hague, Netherlands |
| Alma Mater: | University of Groningen (Bachelor of Mathematics, Bachelor of Philosophy, Master of Philosophy) Leiden University (Doctor of Philosophy) |
| Occupation: | Politician · Theologian · Philosopher · Historian · Researcher · Author · Activist · Nonprofit director · Academic administrator · Professor |
Kars Veling (born 30 June 1948) is a retired Dutch politician and philosopher. A member of the Reformed Political League (GPV) and later Christian Union (CU), he served as Leader of the Christian Union from 2001 to 2002.
Veling followed the HBS-B education in Groningen, the town where he was born. After finishing the HBS, he studied Mathematics, physics and astronomy at the University of Groningen, where he received his candidate exam (comparable with a bachelor's degree). After that he studies philosophy and promoted at the faculty of social sciences of the University of Leiden in 1982.
After finishing his study in Groningen in 1969, Veling started as a teacher in mathematics for five years in Groningen. From 1972 until 1987 he taught philosophy at the Gereformeerde Sociale Academie (Reformed Social Academy) in Zwolle. He was vice director of that academy from 1974 until 1980. He was also lector at the theological Kampen Theological University of the Reformed Churches (Liberated) from 1972 until 1987, when he became special professor at the same university (dissertation: Methodologie en de grondslagen van een pluriforme sociologie (methodology and the foundations of a pluriform sociology)).
In 1988 Veling became vice rector of the reformed high school-group Prof.dr. S. Greijdanus in Zwolle for seven years. From 11 June 1991 until 12 November 2002 Veling was member of the Dutch Parliament. Until 16 May 2002 he was member of the First Chamber (Senate) of the Parliament, the rest of the time member of the Second Chamber and president of the fraction of the Christen Union. First, Veling represented the GPV in the parliament, and after the fusion with the RPF he was fraction president of the joint fraction of GPV and RPF and after the May 2002 elections the Christen Union.
After his party lost the elections of November 2002, Veling stepped down from the politics, and returned in June 2003 to education. He became rector of the Johan de Witt College school group in The Hague.
| Honours | ||||
| Ribbon bar | Honour | Country | Date | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau | Netherlands | 30 June 2016 | Elevated from Knight (12 November 2002) | |