Speeches

Mr President, today we are discussing the EU's priorities for the forthcoming UN meeting on the Status of Women. Once again, it is clear that this Parliament does not have its priorities in order at all. It calls for more money for gender policies, gender budgets in all policy areas, more gender legislation and even more attention to the effects of climate change on women. Because apparently it rains in a way that only makes women wet. And with the fact that Saudi Arabia is chairman of this women's rights club, everything has actually been said. It's like a tragic Shakespearean comedy. Not Hamlet, but woke and the madness. Meanwhile, the real problems facing women around the world are completely ignored. Nothing about honor killings, nothing about female circumcision, nothing about forced dress codes or forced marriages in Islamic countries. None of that. It sometimes seems here in this House that the greatest threat to women is a false form of address. That is why I have tabled amendments on all these points, as well as amendments to establish the meaning of women as a biological reality and to exclude converted men from women's sport. Enough is enough with all the gender drama. With symbol politics you might get a round of applause from Mrs. Van der Walle of D66, but of course you don't save lives with that. It's time for common sense, courage and priorities that can really make a difference.

Mr President, here we are again. The left-wing mafia always goes one step further to get rid of competitors. Not only must social media be censored even further, democratic elections must now also be re-elected if the result is not satisfactory, as in Romania. It is the parties that are stumbling over each other to take measures on democracy and the rule of law in countries such as Hungary, Poland, the Netherlands and other countries, for example when it comes to tackling illegal immigration, which are now to be welcomed when the results of the democratically conducted elections in Romania were reversed. Hypocrisy to get dizzy. Of course, I am also concerned about Russian interference in Europe, but also about how easily the left puts democracy aside when things get awkward. This, of course, sets a precedent. Now it's Romania, but next time another party in Europe finds a horse's head in his bed. Because apparently the protection of the rule of law only applies if you are of the right political color. Otherwise, the rule of law will be used as a weapon against you. Like Geert Wilders. Matteo Salvini or Marine Le Pen. For the results in Romania it will probably not matter that much. But what I've said to the left before: Censorship is not the solution to prevent your demise. You can do elections a hundred times over, the rise of patriotic parties is unstoppable.

It is not the case that if you strike such a tone against me, you will be more right. Let me be the first to notice. The other point is: Just look at what is happening in the big cities of our Western democracies. Look what happens to women there. How in whole cities, with tens of thousands at a time, women all walk packed, because it must be from their husbands. And then someone like that, here today, comes to me because I'm standing up for women and telling us to do something about that. The oppression of women is implemented within Islam. And then strike such a tone against me, here today, on this day of violence against women. I think it is a gross disgrace and with that you also leave women in the cold.

Mr President, I hope that everything is going well with the woman who spoke for me. I have to be a little shivering about all those left-wing women who have spoken for me today. All privileged girls from the international school who have grown up in a left-wing bubble and have never experienced a real challenge in their lives. With their collectivism and their moral exaltation, they mainly fight against everything that is masculine. Because if you're used to privilege, equality feels like oppression. But their woke agenda increasingly clashes with reality. Gendergedram does not solve problems in the world. Instead of making a fist against violence, they are often the fist of violence in the face of many women who have to deal with violence. Because they associate themselves with Islam, while that is the number one cause of violence against women worldwide. Unfortunately, for many, it is also a cause of death. That I have to mansplain that here today, as a man, to a bunch of princesses, is a gross, gross disgrace. For it is precisely today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, that it is time to reflect on the fact that we have massively, and I repeat, imported misogyny. Our major cities are security risk areas for women, both within Islam and beyond. We have to fight it tooth and nail instead of normalizing it. For those who are for women are against Islam.

Mr President, freedom of expression is under attack. The Artificial Intelligence Act, the Digital Services Act and now an EU proposal to criminalise hate speech. The left has pulled out an entire arsenal of unwelcome opinions to shreds and impose their own opinion as the only truth on the people at home. Because they can no longer do that with arguments. Voters are running away from left-wing parties all over Europe, and not without reason. So the next step is to disqualify and classify other opinions as disinformation, hate speech or anti-democratic. But curtailing freedom of expression is the most anti-democratic thing there is. Freedom of expression is the foundation on which our democracy is built, and any restriction on it is the most anti-democratic thing there is. So my appeal to the left is: Stop twisting our freedom and breaking down our democracy, for censorship is not the solution to your demise. A people without a voice is a people without freedom. We will never accept that.

Mr President, today we are talking about the European car industry in crisis. On Friday, it was announced that import duties will be imposed on cheap Chinese electric cars. Let me put one thing first: We need to combat unfair competition. From any country. But how did it actually get to the point where not only the European car industry, but actually all our European industries are in decline? Do we see our competitiveness deteriorate on a daily basis? That we, as Europe, are being laughed at worldwide? This is due to a huge deluge of rules and an unaffordable green agenda imposed from here. Automatic braking systems, speed limiters, stricter emissions regulations and so on. The engine of the European control machine is running at full speed. Everyone has to go electric, but electric cars cannot be paid for by a normal person. Our car industry is collapsing. Who would have thought that? It refers to the red communists from China, but it is the green communists here in the room who are completely in their own CO2-They are living in a bubble and using their beaks to kill European companies. Therefore, let us not only combat unfair competition from China, but at the same time work towards fewer rules for all our European companies. And for the automakers in particular, let's take the CO2-Easing the rules in Europe as soon as possible.

Mr President, Elon Musk conducted an interview with President Trump on his social media platform, X. French Eurocommunist Breton saw reason in last month's announcement to climb into the pen and send Mr Musk a letter, in which he threatened to take all kinds of measures if the interview did not meet the desired left-wing worldview. At that time, nothing was broadcast or posted online. There is nothing wrong with giving a platform to a presidential candidate of any political color. This is how the left works: Freedom of speech until we no longer agree with it. Then you will be suspected, disqualified and dismissed by Brussels Eurocrats – or even worse, murdered by Islamic terrorists. The leader of the largest party in the Netherlands, Geert Wilders, has been heavily protected 24 hours a day for twenty years against Islamic terrorists who want to kill him because of his opinion. Freedom of speech is the only freedom he has left. It cannot be the case that the European Commission is on the side of those who want to kill freedom of expression. It should be on the side of those who defend this freedom. Which side are you on, Mrs Vestager?