Ria Beckers

Maria Brigitta Catherina "Ria" Beckers-de Bruijn (born 2 November 1938 in Driebergen – 22 March 2006 in Wadenoijen) was a Dutch politician. She was the political leader of the progressive Christian party PPR and its successor GreenLeft.

Because of her motherly appearance, Beckers was called "Moeder" (Mother) by other PPR members. After the foundation of the GreenLeft she was called "De Akela van GroenLinks" (Akela Cub Scout-leader) of the GreenLeft).

In 1956 Beckers completed the gymnasium, in which she took all courses and did not major in either sciences or arts. She continued to study Latin and Greek at the University of Utrecht. From 1962 she taught these languages at high schools in Haarlem and Leiden. Her thesis concerned the position of women in Greek Tragedy.

In the 1970s she had become active in the progressive Christian political party Politieke Partij Radicalen (PPR). Beckers had a Catholic background. She became a member of the PPR board in 1973 as vice-chairperson. In 1974 she was elected chairperson of the PPR.

In 1977 Beckers was elected lijsttrekker of the PPR. This was remarkable because she was not a member of parliament at the time. The young Beckers was expected to perform better under young voters than the then political leader Bas de Gaay Fortman. She was the first female lijsttrekker in Dutch politics. In the 1977 elections the PPR lost four of its seven seats. Beckers nonetheless remained political leader and led the PPR in the 1981, 1982 and 1986 elections. In these elections the party got between two and three seats. Under her leadership the PPR broke its links with the PvdA and oriented itself to the more left-wing parties PSP, CPN and EVP. The PPR was no longer interested in governing but instead chose to testify to its ideals.

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