en ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁ ▁D iks ▁had ▁been ▁active ▁within ▁Green Left ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁first ▁in ▁the ▁municipal ▁council ▁of ▁Ap el do orn , ▁where ▁she ▁served ▁as ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁parliament ary ▁party ▁and ▁as ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁the ▁regional ▁water ▁board , ▁and ▁later ▁as ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁States - Pro vin cial ▁in ▁Gel der land , ▁where ▁she ▁served ▁as ▁vice - ch air ▁( 2 0 0 3 – 2 0 0 6 ). ▁Between ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁she ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁national ▁board ▁of ▁Green Left , ▁where ▁she ▁served ▁as ▁international ▁secretary . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁she ▁stood ▁on ▁the ▁list ▁for ▁the ▁general ▁election ▁on ▁the ▁t enth ▁place . ▁She ▁was ▁not ▁elected . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁D iks ▁would ▁tempor arily ▁replace ▁Mar iko ▁Peters ▁as ▁MP . ▁Between ▁ 1 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁and ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁Peters ▁would ▁be ▁on ▁mat ern ity ▁leave . ▁The ▁Dutch ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁has ▁a ▁special ▁reg ulation ▁that ▁MP s ▁on ▁mat ern ity ▁leave ▁may ▁be ▁replaced ▁tempor arily ▁without ▁giving ▁up ▁their ▁seats . ▁Form ally , ▁Matth ieu ▁He em ela ar ▁was ▁the ▁candidate ▁to ▁succeed ▁Peters ▁as ▁he ▁was ▁higher ▁on