What Reinier spoke about.

6 Oct

2026

EN Speech

The 2026 undemocratic elections to the Russian State Duma and its implications on civil society (debate)

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Madam President, colleagues, the title of this debate makes no sense. Russia did not have an undemocratic election – more like a multiple choice exam with one answer, or a fan club meeting with mandatory attendance, or a dating app with one profile. Whatever it was, it was not an election. So why does a dictator bother doing this at all? Because dictators are weak. A strong leader doesn't need to …

6 Oct

2026

NL Speech

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 15-16 October 2026 (debate)

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I totally agree with you. That European budget needs to be reformed, and I am also very much in favour of taking a good look at how that money is spent. It can and should be better. But still. The discrepancy between doubling and now being against minuscule magnification is huge. How do you rhyme that with each other?…

6 Oct

2026

NL Question

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 15-16 October 2026 (debate)

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Mr Gerbrandy, I am glad to hear that you are calling for a bigger EU budget. Because as I read in the election program of D66: It is time for European solutions. D66 takes the lead in Europe. These European solutions cost money, but they yield some benefits, which is why we are doubling the EU budget. Now, Ms von der Leyen is putting forward a proposal to increase the budget from 1.13 to 1.26%. Th…

6 Oct

2026

EN Speech

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 15-16 October 2026 (debate)

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Madam President, Council, colleagues, imagine a comet heading to Earth. Instead of trying to stop it, leaders say, 'Nah, it's not a priority this quarter.' Isn't there a chance it could destroy Earth? Maybe. But it's full of gold and diamonds. 'If we don't get it,' say the Americans, 'the Chinese will get it first.' This doesn't only resemble the movie Don't Look Up; it also sums up the sad state …

16 Sep

2026

EN Speech

Urgent need for EU support to Ukraine against Russia’s escalation of its war of aggression (debate)

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Madam President, last week in Ukraine, I met a soldier who would soon return to the front. I asked, 'What keeps you going?' and he told me that, when Russia occupies an area, they force the people there to fight for them. He told me he has a choice: 'Either I fight now for the country I love, or, in a couple of years, I'll be forced to fight for the country I hate.' We shook hands. I took a train …

15 Sep

2026

EN Speech

Defence (joint debate)

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Madam President, getting the capabilities to protect ourselves is a huge task, as if we are running a marathon together. Money alone is not enough. We remain fragmented and slow. These new defence laws could have made us go full sprint. On the permits we succeeded. This will slash lead times from years to months, but we will not buy equipment together. There will still be no real single market for…

15 Sep

2026

EN Speech

Hybrid attacks against the EU Member States (joint debate)

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Mr President, colleagues, two days ago I was on a train full of European politicians returning from Ukraine. As we crossed into Poland, a Russian drone hit a train on the spot where we were just moments before. Last year, Russian drones entered Polish airspace and I warned that every escalation without a response from us is an invitation for Putin to continue. Today, a drone shot down in Lithuania…

7 Jul

2026

EN Speech

2025 Commission report on Ukraine (debate)

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Madam President, colleagues, dear Commissioner, the EU is a unique geopolitical force: the only one that doesn't grow through conquest. We grow because countries freely decide to join. Ukraine chooses the EU for its promise of democracy, freedom and dignity. But sometimes this can create a wrong perception. Just because countries aspire to join our Union doesn't mean that we are the only side with…

7 Jul

2026

EN Speech

Presentation of the Action Plan on Cybersecurity and AI (debate)

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Mr President, the industrial revolution was a miracle. We now live longer, work less and live better today than kings did 300 years ago. But before we got here, we had child labour, colonial exploitation and a climate catastrophe we are still living through. The next industrial revolution is already happening. AI could unlock energy efficiency gains, design new cures for diseases, help fight world…

7 Jul

2026

EN Speech

Presentation of the programme of activities of the Irish Presidency (debate)

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Mr. President, Mr. President, the mirror is a good friend's eye. 'A friend's eye is a good mirror'. My eyes see a country a little too fond of selling aluminium to Russia and tax benefits to American tech. But I also see a country committed to peace, the best live music in Europe and a beacon of democracy. Pioneering citizen assemblies and referendums that were thoughtful and representative, inste…

6 Jul

2026

EN Speech

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

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Mr President, Rutte said it clearly: Russia is not afraid of commitments but of capabilities. But the conversation about Europe's safety is stranded at money, percentages. We never even touched on capabilities, even when the US withdraws bombers, withdraws tankers and withdraws troops. We need a European defence union, but our national leaders can't seem to see beyond their nationalistic noses. Th…

17 Jun

2026

EN Speech

Preparation of the European Council (joint debate)

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Madam President, what's the definition of madness? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. According to that logic, the European Council is insane. Every time a wannabe dictator is finally voted out, another one pops up. And so we're held hostage by 27 national elections and national vetoes. The Council is kind of like the Greek myth of Sisyphus, who pushes a bou…

16 Jun

2026

EN Answer

Achieving digital sovereignty and resilience for Europe, in light of recent developments affecting access to advanced AI technologies (debate)

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Thanks a lot for this question. I think it is possible for Europe to create our own European tech stack and become entirely sovereign. For the first time in decades, there's actually more talented people coming from the US to Europe than there are going from Europe to the US, because Europe is simply a better place to live. Talent is an essential factor in creating our own European tech stack. Tha…

16 Jun

2026

EN Speech

Achieving digital sovereignty and resilience for Europe, in light of recent developments affecting access to advanced AI technologies (debate)

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Mr President, colleagues, in Star Wars, the most powerful machine in the galaxy is called the Death Star. AI may not be the Death Star yet, but it's definitely not a simple digital service anymore. It's infrastructure for our economy, our research and security. So Trump's decision to block our access to Anthropic's most advanced AI models is no surprise. But if Washington can cut us off, it means …

21 May

2026

EN Speech

European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Stop destroying videogames’ (debate)

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Madam President, (The speaker hummed the Super Mario Bros 'Ground Theme' tune) As a young boy 30 years ago, the most important decision for me was Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle. I loved playing Pokemon and wanted to be the very best. 30 years later, if I go to my mum's attic, pull out my old Game Boy and put in some new batteries, boom! Professor Oak is telling me to pick my starter: Charmande…

19 May

2026

EN Speech

Europe's response to reduced US military deployments in Europe, particularly at its Eastern flank in the light of the latest US decisions (debate)

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Madam President, Europe has been blindsided by Trump many times – threatening Greenland, betraying Ukraine. But for once, Trump is just doing what he said he would. The withdrawal of American soldiers from Germany and Poland should not come as a surprise to anyone who has listened to the US in the past years. At this point, I don't even blame Trump. I blame European leaders who are shocked – shock…

19 May

2026

EN Question

EU governance under pressure – institutional responses to global challenges (debate)

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Mr Smith, so you say, actually, that the veto in foreign policy is so important to us. But what successes have we had as Europe on a global stage with our current foreign policy? We are fragmented and weak. So how on earth are we going to have a positive impact on our environment and the world around us, if we stick to this unanimous decision-making in foreign policy?…

19 May

2026

EN Speech

EU governance under pressure – institutional responses to global challenges (debate)

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Mr President, there is a man living in a cave. He has a piece of paper saying this is his cave and that he has sovereignty. But what will he do when people enter his cave and threaten to kick him out? Europeans don't want a sovereign cave. They understand real sovereignty is only achieved when you can actually shape your surroundings. This debate is about the EU's institutional response to global …

19 May

2026

EN Speech

EU cybersecurity and preparedness in view of advanced AI systems (debate)

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Madam President, dear colleagues, dear Commissioner, the newest AI model from Anthropic, Mythos, is so effective at finding weaknesses in software that they decided to only give access to a few companies from the US. In the wrong hands, it can be used to exploit digital vulnerabilities, like attacking bank accounts or health records at a speed and skill never seen before. Another wake-up call for …

29 Apr

2026

EN Speech

Danger of normalising relations with Russia, including its participation in major cultural and sports events (debate)

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Madam President, it's remarkable that the far left and the far right use the same arguments about inviting Russia to sports and culture events. I will not give arguments but names. Oleksandr Pielieshenko, a European weightlifting champion, died on the frontline on 5 May 2024. Yurii Kerpatenko, a conductor, was murdered by Russian soldiers in 2022. Kateryna Diachenko, a talented gymnast killed in a…

29 Apr

2026

EN Speech

The need to combat antisemitism and protect Jewish life in Europe, following the recent attacks against the Jewish community in the Netherlands and Belgium (debate)

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Madam President, a family closes the curtains, afraid to be seen as they practice their faith. A woman hides her Star of David necklace as she walks down the street. A child sits in a classroom behind bullet-proof glass. This is unacceptable, but it is the sad reality for Jewish people in Europe. After centuries of persecution, Jewish people can walk down Amsterdam's streets full of memorials, but…

28 Apr

2026

EN Speech

Enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (debate)

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Madam President, are we going to AI heaven where we all live like Greek gods served by AI robots, or AI hell where we are ruled by techno‑feudal overlords? Probably neither, but we are witnessing the start of a civilisational shift. The rise of artificial intelligence will shape our economies, our societies, and our future. The question is, will Europe build this future or merely endure it? We can…

25 Mar

2026

EN Speech

Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 19 March 2026 (debate)

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Madam President, colleagues, Trump demands that we follow him into war. International law is ignored again. Groceries are more expensive. Businesses struggle with high energy prices. A tank of gas costs more than ever. And the profits are flowing directly into Putin's pockets. All because of another reckless war the US Government started. That same United States raises tariffs, threatens to invade…

11 Mar

2026

EN Speech

EUCO and situation in the Middle East (joint debate)

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Mr President, on Friday night, the first bombs fell on Iran. The Ayatollah was killed and we held our breath. What happens next? What will we do? Then, President von der Leyen announced that the EU will discuss this on Monday. Two weeks later, we still have not really found our course of action. Spain wants to go left. Germany wants to go right. And while we bicker about if this was a breach of in…

10 Mar

2026

EN Speech

Tackling barriers to the single market for defence - Flagship European defence projects of common interest

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Madam President, a German commander, a Belgian pilot and a Dutch engineer walk into a plane. No, this is not the start of a bad joke, it's what I saw last week at my visit to the Air Mobility Command in Eindhoven. This – multinational cooperation for transport and in-air refuelling – is great. It already works, but with EU leadership it could work even better. That is why I include it in this repo…