Dion Graus

Dion Jean Gilbert Graus (born 19 March 1967 in Heerlen) is a Dutch politician. He has been an MP on behalf of the Party for Freedom (Partij voor de Vrijheid, PVV) since 30 November 2006.

Graus is a former car salesman and sales representative in veterinary products, and worked for the local Limburg television station TV Limburg.

Political career
He was first elected to the House in the 2006 general election, and he focused on matters of agriculture, animal rights, small and medium enterprises, public transport, aviation and rail transport. Graus secured a sixth term in November 2023, when the PVV received a plurality in a general election, and he has solely focused on animal welfare since. Through the backing of the PVV, a proposal passed the House in March 2024 to weaken an earlier amendment prescribing that animals should be able to exhibit natural behavior. Graus was the only member of his parliamentary group who voted in favor of an unsuccessful alternative proposal by the Party for the Animals that preserved the original amendment, which had been supported by the PVV in 2021, by defining natural behaviors.

Controversy
In December 2006, stories in the Dutch media erupted accusing Graus of having a history of unpaid bills, fraud, lawsuits, disgruntled employers and abusive relations with women. The Dutch justice department later reported that three counts filed against Graus were dismissed, without going into details about the other accusations. In addition, the newspaper de Volkskrant on January 27, 2007 found several NRC allegations lacking substance e.g. the bills had been paid after all. The newspaper also reported that Graus had the full confidence of party leader Geert Wilders.