Gert-Jan Oplaat

After secondary education he became a member of an agricultural family business.[1] In 1994 he protested against the national manure and ammonia policies.[1]

In 1989 he joined the VVD.[1] Between 1994 and 1998 he was a municipal councillor in Markelo.

He was elected in the 1998 general election.[1] He was his party's spokesman for agriculture.[1] In 2004 he presented a pamphlet arguing for a more right-conservative course, together with Geert Wilders.[1] His place on the electoral list was too low to be elected in the 2006 general election.

After leaving parliament he became a consultant, administrator in branche organisations and chairman of the regional chamber of commerce.[1]

Until 2014 he was chairman of the VVD provincial branch in Overijssel.

In 2022 he left the VVD because of discontent about its policies during the nitrogen crisis (nl:Stikstofcrisis).[2] After being contacted by multiple parties, he joined the agrarian BBB.[3]

Oplaat is married. He performs as a cabaretier and singer.[1] He is a Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau and a member of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands.