Diederik Samsom

Diederik Samsom was born on July 10, 1971. He studied physics at Delft Technical University before working as a Greenpeace activist and campaigner on energy and Climate. Samsom entered politics in 2003, serving as a member of the House of Representatives until 2016.

During his tenure, he focused on energy and environmental issues, advocating for renewable energy and climate change mitigation. In 2012, Samsom became the leader of the Dutch Labour Party, leading the party in the national elections and into a coalition government later that year.

Between 2017 and 2019 Samsom worked as a consultant in both public and private sector, helping create the Dutch Climate Agreement and providing strategic advice for investors and energy companies. In 2019 he became chief of staff to Executive Vice President Timmermans in the European Commission. He was instrumental in the design and implementation of the European Green Deal as well as other hallmark European policies, such as the Recovey and Resilience Fund to recover the European economies after COVID and the RePowerEU-plan to make Europe independent from Russian gas after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Throughout his career, Samsom has remained dedicated to addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development, making significant contributions to both Dutch and European politics.