Political Career
In 1977 Beckers was elected lijsttrekker of the PPR. This is 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.
In 1989 the PPR merged with these left-wing parties to become the GreenLeft. Beckers was elected lijsttrekker of the new formation. In the 1989 elections the GreenLeft got a disappointing six seats. Beckers remained political leader of the GreenLeft until 1993, when she stood down for a new generation. She had been political leader of her party for sixteen years. When she left parliament in 1993 prime-minister Lubbers praised her by saying "you gave us (the government) a lot of trouble".
In parliament Beckers took special interest in promoting organic farming and peace.
Read more about this topic: Ria Beckers
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