What Tom spoke about.

16 Sep

2026

NL Speech

State of the Union (debate)

Watch

Mr President, Mrs von der Leyen, what reality is your Commission actually living in? You claim to guarantee safe borders. In reality, only a few weeks ago, 80 000 illegal immigrants flooded our external border in Ceuta. You claim to protect our prosperity and competitiveness. In reality, electricity is now 2.5 times more expensive and gas five times more expensive than in the United States. And if…

20 May

2026

NL Speech

Reviewing the ETS system to support European competitiveness (topical debate)

Watch

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the European Union’s climate policy is downright disastrous. With the ETS, Europe is artificially making energy more expensive than in the rest of the world. That system punishes those who work, those who undertake and even those who simply want to heat their home. While China, India and the United States protect their industries, the European Union is chasing o…

29 Apr

2026

NL Speech

Topical debate requested by a political group (PfE) (Rule 169) - Commission interference in democratic process and elections (topical debate)

Watch

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the von der Leyen Commission censors social media and tries to influence elections. These are the conclusions of the U.S. House of Representatives' report, which was published in February this year. We have been asking for a debate on this issue since February. This has been denied twice. We requested hearings in three parliamentary committees. This too was brut…

11 Mar

2026

NL Speech

Rise of political violence, notably by far-left organisations (debate)

Watch

10 Feb

2026

NL Speech

Spain’s large-scale regularisation policy and its impact on the Schengen Area and EU migration policy (debate)

Watch

9 Feb

2026

EN Speech

Order of business

Watch

Madam President, I have a point of order referring to Rule 164 of the Rules of Procedure. The European Commission is censoring legal speech criticising mass migration, gender ideology or the European Union itself in order to manipulate elections in Europe. These are the documented conclusions of an official report by the US House Committee. Censoring legal speech is a clear violation of our fundam…

21 Jan

2026

NL Speech

Restoring control of migration: returns, visa policy and third-country cooperation (topical debate)

Watch

Mr President, colleagues, stop immigration and start remigration: That is the heart of the matter here. Europe is in an existential crisis. Our unique civilization is in danger of being wiped out. For years it sounded "Wir kopen das". For years there was a naïve welcome culture. For years we looked away from the terrible reality that that superdiversity is not so super at all, but for many ordinar…

17 Dec

2025

NL Speech

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 18-19 December 2025, in particular the need to support Ukraine, transatlantic relations and the EU’s strategic autonomy (debate)

Watch

Mr Lagodinsky, I really do not understand where you want to go, because my whole point is precisely that the veto should protect smaller Member States. That is the lesson of history that we have learned, unfortunately on the axis of World War II, so that large Member States cannot trample the small ones and impose their imperialist policies. That's the point I'm making here.…

17 Dec

2025

NL Answer

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 18-19 December 2025, in particular the need to support Ukraine, transatlantic relations and the EU’s strategic autonomy (debate)

Watch

You quote, Mr Lagodinsky, interesting facts, a reality that we agree on. The Baltic States and Poland are part of the European Union and it is therefore necessary under the law of the Treaty that my country, and therefore also my voters and my party, show solidarity with these countries. Just as we are bound by treaty obligations in the NATO context. However, we honour those obligations. It is als…

17 Dec

2025

NL Speech

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 18-19 December 2025, in particular the need to support Ukraine, transatlantic relations and the EU’s strategic autonomy (debate)

Watch

Mr. Sieper, I think we just have a very fundamental difference in understanding reality. You apparently believe in liberal moralism, from which the world functions and works on the basis of moral principles. I don't believe that at all. I follow another school, the realistic school, which determines that the world functions on the basis of interests. And in those conflicts of interest with each ot…

17 Dec

2025

NL Answer

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 18-19 December 2025, in particular the need to support Ukraine, transatlantic relations and the EU’s strategic autonomy (debate)

Watch

Mr Sieper, you must, of course, answer to your own constituents, just as I must. The preschool story told here may be a bedtime story for small children, but it simply doesn't match reality. There are two major risks, one of which is the financial stability of the euro area and the credibility of the Western financial and banking system. The other risk is who will carry it. And apparently there is…

17 Dec

2025

NL Speech

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 18-19 December 2025, in particular the need to support Ukraine, transatlantic relations and the EU’s strategic autonomy (debate)

Watch

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Europe has completely lost its way and the reason for this is unfortunately the European Union. What once started as a cooperation for prosperity and peace has become a belligerent monster that is completely derailing. European cooperation had to ensure that smaller Member States could no longer be trampled on by large countries. That is the lesson of history an…

25 Nov

2025

NL Speech

Communication on the Democracy Shield (debate)

Watch

Mr President, the European Commission claims that it wants to protect our democracy. But the so-called European shield for democracy is not at all about protecting our democracy, but about protecting itself, against the will of the people. After all, the people must have no other opinion than to agree to their agenda of climate madness, mass migration and endless wars. The European shield of democ…

8 Oct

2025

NL Speech

Promoting EU digital rules: protecting European sovereignty (debate)

Watch

Mr President, colleagues, the Digital Services Act and the Artificial Intelligence Act are being proposed as laws to protect our European digital sovereignty. But in reality, that legislation does not protect us from external dominance at all; It builds a wall against freedom within. They talk about freedom, but they mean control. They talk about transparency, but they mean submission. They speak …

10 Sep

2025

NL Answer

State of the Union (debate)

Watch

I just have to quote the President of the European Council, Mr Costa, who said last week that this trade agreement – which is clearly unbalanced – is being negotiated, because of the focus on the war in Ukraine, the endless swamp in which this Commission wants to drag us. That is why I think we need to adopt a different strategy, one that leads to peace and a strong Europe.…

10 Sep

2025

NL Speech

State of the Union (debate)

Watch

Mr President, the situation in Europe is dramatic and the policy of this Commission is disastrous. Our farmers are hit hard by unfair competition. Our companies are being squandered by overregulation. Our families suffer from the skyrocketing energy costs. Our women and daughters are the first victims of illegal mass migration. But for Mrs. von der Leyen there is apparently no dirt in the air. Thi…

9 Jul

2025

NL Speech

Lessons from Budapest Pride: the urgent need for an EU wide anti-discrimination law and defending fundamental rights against right-wing attacks (topical debate)

Watch

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, where could homosexuals actually walk the streets the safest? Is it in Molenbeek or is it in Budapest? Yet we do not see any European parliamentarians parading around in Molenbeek. Where we also never see them showing virtue is in Riyadh, Tehran or Islamabad. This hypocrisy proves that it is not about equal rights for homosexuals at all, but about promoting a ge…

7 May

2025

NL Speech

EU support for a just, sustainable and comprehensive peace in Ukraine (debate)

Watch

Mr President, the European Union's strategy against Russian aggression is totally failing. Mrs von der Leyen claimed that sanctions would bring Russia to its economic knees. That didn't happen. Mrs von der Leyen claimed to be beating Russia with arms deliveries. That didn't happen. Mrs von der Leyen claimed to isolate Russia diplomatically. That didn't happen either. What has happened is that we h…

11 Mar

2025

NL Speech

Presentation of the proposal on a new common approach on returns (debate)

Watch

Mr President, the European Union is totally failing in its migration policy. Our boundaries are wide open. Illegal migration therefore continues to increase, while return procedures are inefficient, slow and lax. Only one in five of those asylum seekers is actually sent back. At the same time, the countries of origin receive billions from the European Union, but refuse to take back their illegal i…

12 Feb

2025

NL Speech

Competitiveness Compass (debate)

Watch

Mr President, with the Green Deal, the European Union introduced climate regulations, climate commitments and climate taxes. This would make Europe the economy of the future and at the same time save the world. However, this dogmatic climate policy is causing Europe to be overtaken globally by the United States and China, which are not interested in any of these measures. While Europe bans plastic…

21 Jan

2025

NL Answer

Need to enforce the Digital Services Act to protect democracy on social media platforms including against foreign interference and biased algorithms (debate)

Watch

You may be surprised, colleague, but a truth that must be protected by censorship has a name. That's a lie. This is a truth that cannot stand. When you talk about foreign actors or tech platforms influencing elections, I can only say: Let the market of free ideas flourish. Let a thousand flowers bloom, as Mao said – perhaps one of your inspirators to reach this conclusion. And then I just think th…

21 Jan

2025

NL Speech

Need to enforce the Digital Services Act to protect democracy on social media platforms including against foreign interference and biased algorithms (debate)

Watch

Mr President, the European Union likes to lecture the whole world on human rights and democracy, but in reality it has itself become a model of censorship and totalitarian control. With the Digital Services Act, they claim to protect social media from so-called disinformation and hate speech, but in reality they want to protect those in power from the democratic protest of their citizens. When Elo…

17 Dec

2024

NL Speech

Toppling of the Syrian regime, its geopolitical implications and the humanitarian situation in the region (debate)

Watch

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Syria urgently needs its doctors and engineers who have come to Europe in recent years. After all, asylum law should never be a migration channel leading to permanent residence. It is and will remain a temporary measure for people in need. This includes a clear agreement to return home as soon as the situation has been cleared up. For Syrian asylum seekers, that…

27 Nov

2024

NL Speech

Presentation by the President-elect of the Commission of the College of Commissioners and its programme (debate)

Watch

Mr President, the voter's signal was very clear. Our people want more purchasing power and less migration. But that political elite, they just continue to act as if nothing happened at all. The von der Leyen Commission is therefore simply more of the same. More migration and more climate madness. This Commission has not only completely detached itself from the people, but also from reality. After …

13 Nov

2024

NL Speech

EU-US relations in light of the outcome of the US presidential elections (debate)

Watch

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the American people have elected and won. The massive vote for Donald Trump is a historic victory of the people over the elite. It is the victory of nationalism over globalism. The Americans have taken back their country. However, we are not Americans, but Flemings and Europeans. Our interests are not necessarily the same as theirs. But we too must opt for the p…