What Marit spoke about.

17

Jun

2026

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Continued crackdown on civic space and fundamental freedoms in Burkina Faso

Mr President, civil society organisations are at the heart of democracies, including in Burkina Faso. They organise people and communities around important themes, give minorities a voice and take a critical look at the government. Journalists expose abuses, taking a critical look at government and business, as well as at destabilising influences. In Burkina Faso, people no longer have that freedom. The ban on civil society organisations means a ban on social votes. But the way to a stable future cannot be done without those different voices. Away from outside military influences, from authoritarian forces within the country. This is important for the future of a free and fair democracy, where voices are not silenced, but where all voices are heard. From students to LGBTI activists, from journalists to Fulani, from political parties to human rights defenders. As the European Parliament, we must stand firmly behind human rights defenders and civil society organisations, including in Burkina Faso.

20

May

2026

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Advancing towards a care society: addressing the gender care gap (debate)

I think it is extremely important to recognize what work is done in a family and who has what share in it. You see that in some countries, as you say, those tasks are not distributed fairly at the time of a divorce. In other European countries, fair distribution is possible. I think every situation needs to be looked at very carefully. Sometimes the division of tasks is the other way around. Sometimes it's a man who takes on more care responsibilities and the woman who earns more. It must be examined whether a family and all members of the family, after such a painful situation, can live on in the same way.

20

May

2026

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Advancing towards a care society: addressing the gender care gap (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, the laundry, the meeting, the dinner, the reports, the doctor's appointment, calling your mother, the deadline, messages for the neighbours, the babysitter, an email from ‑ that has yet to be answered and, above all, the question: Are you doing everything well enough? Europe relies on the unpaid work of women. Every year, a date somewhere in mid-November marks the day on which women work for free for the rest of the year. We still have a 10% pay gap. Women earn much less than men. In addition, women provide 80% of all unpaid care. Care that is not reimbursed, not protected, not included in your pension, but on which our society is completely based. What if all women went on strike for a day? Then it would finally become clear how big the problem is. The whole system is kept running in silence by women. It would hit the vulnerable if they were to strike: children, the elderly, the sick and people with disabilities. So it won't be stopped. If unpaid care were to disappear tomorrow, our economy would collapse. So why do we treat it like it's worth nothing?

20

May

2026

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Recent proposals to fight poverty in the EU (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, too many children in Europe are born into poverty. Too many people live and work in poverty. Many people live in poverty while working, but do not earn enough. You're in jail and you still can't pay your rent. There are also many people who want to work, but who do not succeed, for example because they no longer have the right skills in the rapidly changing world or because they have a disability. We need to strengthen the rights of these people. Enforcement is required when there is discrimination. And everyone should have the opportunity to learn throughout their lives and continue to earn their own living. This is good for society, but also good for the people themselves. The European Social Fund plays a fundamental role in supporting and helping people on their way to the labour market. It finances projects that guide people and help them find suitable work. It supports children who come out of poverty. It is a crucial fund that should continue to exist in the coming period, with sufficient resources. Because in the European Union, no one should grow up, live or work in poverty.

30

Apr

2026

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Women’s entrepreneurship in rural and island areas and outermost regions (debate)

Mr President, although half the population is women, only a third of businesses are set up by women. And that's not because of a lack of potential. Old-fashioned gender roles, disproportionate household chores, informal care, but also insecurity behind the front door, all contribute to women being able to do less. In the outermost regions of the European Union, that threshold is even higher. The tax money that supports businesses in the EU does not sufficiently reach women in our outlying areas. What a world of potential would open up if we shared the burden and support a little more fairly. The whole budget of the European Union must therefore look at how money actually goes to women. Gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting are an absolute requirement, as well as financial support for women entrepreneurs, because by strengthening the economic situation of women you strengthen the entire community.

29

Apr

2026

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Sudan’s abandoned humanitarian crisis: three years of conflict (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, this is already the seventh time during this mandate that we are standing here and talking about Sudan in this Chamber. I can always give the same speech, because after three years of war nothing has changed. The European Union has a double standard. We condemn human rights violations in the strongest terms. We are sending humanitarian aid and at the same time we are turning a blind eye to those who are benefiting from this war. On this battlefield, where countless people are murdered, where women and children are raped, oil is also pumped up and gold is mined. The humanitarian situation in Sudan was already terrible and worse than ever six debates ago. Meanwhile, evidence is accumulating that external partners are supplying weapons, importing gold, and sponsoring mercenaries. How many times do we have to stand here until the countries that feed this war, including the United Arab Emirates, are named and held accountable for their part in the human rights violations and humanitarian needs of Sudan?

28

Apr

2026

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Joint debate - Discharge 2024 (joint debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, 'the Commission did not instruct nor require non-governmental organisations – NGOs – to lobby Members of the European Parliament.' This is a quote from Commissioner Serafin's letter of 14 April 2025. However, the Committee on Budgetary Control still has a research working group or Scrutiny Working Group looking at the funding of NGOs. My group is in favour of thorough monitoring through the annual discharge procedure, including when it comes to subsidising NGOs, which is why the Court’s reports are so important. The European Court of Auditors confirmed last year that NGO funding is legal and subject to the strictest transparency requirements. Why is this research group still there? Is it not duplication and waste of our taxpayers' money here in the European Parliament? Or does it serve a different purpose? Is it not budgetary control, but an attempt to silence or delegitimize civil society, without a factual basis? Democracy requires that all voices be heard, all voices in society, not only those of large and wealthy corporations and financial institutions, but also those of organizations and institutions with less deep pockets.

28

Apr

2026

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Interim report on the proposal for the multiannual financial framework for 2028-2034 (debate)

Does it matter whether the European Union spends more or less? Yes, and I especially care that that money ends up with the right people. For people who try to move forward every day, but always bump into the same walls: high energy bills, no home, no diploma, no work experience, no opportunities. But if it is up to the Commission, under the heading of simplification, a large pot of money is given to the Member States, who can then spend it to their heart's content. No European policy and no clear priorities, and above all much less money for social policy. We need European funds that make a real impact, so that someone can find work or obtain a diploma after years, so that someone can find a roof over their head. We do not need blank cheques for Member States, but a strong and independent European Social Fund, so that the European Union invests in social security for a future for everyone and certainly also for people in Europe in vulnerable positions.

27

Apr

2026

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Madam President, an online rape academy. This is sick and inhumane. A global online rape academy with tens of millions of visitors, where men, many men, share tips. Tips on how to drug women, tips on how to rape your own partner, on how to film it, even how to earn money with it. This is sick. Let it sink in. And this is not about a few disturbed individuals. This is a system. It's a system that operates on our digital platforms, and it's a system that grows. It's a system that is protected by men, by tech bros who protect anonymity, who protect legal loopholes. But we have the tools to act. Platform accountability, mandatory reporting, cross border enforcement. Now we need the political will to act. Because every day we delay this system grows. Every day we delay more women are targeted, are violated, are raped. The question is not whether we can do something about it. The question is whether we choose to do something about this. Let's choose women over tech bros.

26

Mar

2026

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Global Gateway – past impacts and future orientation (debate)

Mr President, this report on the Global Gateway sends a clear message to the Commission: we need more transparency. At every stage, from project selection to implementation and monitoring, we need to ask ourselves: does this instrument support our partner countries in terms of sustainable development and employment or only EU ‑ interests? Does it help the people who need it the most? Does it support women and girls who carry the greatest burden of poverty? Does it reach the regions affected by crises and conflict? The Global Gateway is a tool to increase the impact of EU ‑ tax money through strong partnerships. It combines public and private funding for development. It should therefore continue to focus on the most important aspect of EU ‑ development cooperation, namely reducing and ending poverty. I look forward to further dialogue between Parliament and the Commissioner for International Partnerships to ensure that this financing for development remains in line with this.

11

Mar

2026

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Human trafficking and grave human rights violations linked to the recruitment of non-Russian nationals, in particular from Africa, for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine

Madam President, Commissioner, men and women in several African countries – from regions suffering from severe unemployment and social instability – are targeted for work in Russia. But when they arrive, their passports are confiscated and they actually have to participate in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Through social media and intermediaries, they are lured into Russia with false promises of employment and education. Once in Russia, they are coerced, threatened and transferred to military facilities. Men end up at the front lines and women are made to work in factories under extremely dangerous circumstances. Testimonies show the especially inhumane treatment of African recruits: they are subjected to racial abuse and discrimination and are forced to do the most dangerous duties on the front lines, many of them losing their lives or being seriously injured. This constitutes a serious violation of international human rights and possibly crimes against humanity. With the European Union, the Member States and the African states, we must increase the cooperation to protect these citizens and to make sure we can repatriate them.

10

Mar

2026

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Housing crisis in the European Union with the aim of proposing solutions for decent, sustainable and affordable housing (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, the housing crisis is not an abstract problem. It is the starter who still lives with his parents after twenty viewings. It is the single mother who is afraid of the rent increase every month. It is the homeless, which we in Europe still allow to exist. Millions of people in Europe are looking for an affordable home and don't find it. So we have to address that deficit. In Europe, no one should live without a roof over his or her head. Yet a persistent reflex keeps coming back: more market and more emphasis on home ownership. It is precisely the market that has caused this crisis. It treats homes as an investment project, while people simply look for a home. If we really want to change something, we have to do it differently: more social and affordable housing without the state aid rules standing in the way. Houses are for living, not investing.

12

Feb

2026

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Recommendation to the Council on EU priorities for the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all girls and women – that's the topic of this year's Commission on the Status of Women. Because justice to all is not a given. Too often, women and girls face hurdles accessing justice systems, and they are not taken seriously. This takes place everywhere. In my country, the Netherlands, only 15 % of women that experience rape or sexual assault go to the police, and convictions are very rare. In situations of conflict and war this is even worse. Sexual violence and rape are used as a weapon of war. The lives of women and girls are devastated, as are often the lives of their communities. When justice does not prevail, it means that impunity thrives and perpetrators go free. The EU must promote sexual and reproductive health and rights, and bodily autonomy, in its external policies, but also in the European Union. Improving the status of women should be a concern for all of us.

11

Feb

2026

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Developing a new EU anti-poverty strategy (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, poverty is not inevitable – it is the result of political choices, and today we can choose differently. We will work with people who experience poverty. They must be involved from the start in shaping measures; no policy should be made without them. And let's get this straight: if we do not tackle poverty, no defence plan, no market reform and no competitiveness strategy will make people feel secure. Security means also to pay your rent and to be able to pay for your groceries. A strong Europe starts with people who live, not survive from paycheque to paycheque. That is why I urge all of us to support the EUR 20 billion for the Child Guarantee. Children do not decide our budgets, but they live with the consequences. And finally, in the European Union, no woman or girl should miss school or work because she cannot afford basic hygiene products. We provide toilet paper as a standard in public places; menstrual products should be just as normal. Again, poverty is not inevitable – it is a result of political choices. Let's choose differently.

11

Feb

2026

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International Day of Education, fighting inequalities in access to education (debate)

Mr President, education provides knowledge and skills for your later work and participation in the labour market. And education also gives you a social basis for your entire life. You will learn about history, geography, social skills and how society works. Learning experiences that will benefit you for the rest of your life. That is why it is also important that sexual education and knowledge about contraception is part of the educational strategy. Some may think: What does that have to do with it now? Well, 70% of girls who get pregnant young drop out of school prematurely. And that has enormous consequences for their own potential, for their income and for their possibilities later. But it also has consequences for their children. The social and economic opportunities for their children are becoming less and therefore they are entering a negative spiral. That is why we need to break through this with good education on reproductive and sexual health and rights for all girls in Europe and in the world.

10

Feb

2026

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Violence in the Great Lakes Region, particularly in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (debate)

10

Feb

2026

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Urgent need to address the humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan and to achieve a sustainable peace (debate)

22

Jan

2026

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A new action plan to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights (debate)

Mr President, the European Pillar of Social Rights can be called the Constitution of Social Europe. It contains 20 principles that we, as the EU, are fighting for. A not insignificant principle is: everyone in Europe should receive a fair minimum wage. And let it just suspend it in the Netherlands. Because when you are 18 or 25 years old, you get a different salary for equal work and experience. The Netherlands is one of the few countries that uses a minimum youth wage and therefore structurally underpays young people. Why should you earn less for the same job? That's ridiculous, isn't it? That's what we think. That is why the EU Minimum Wage Directive states precisely that: Exemptions from pay should never be discriminatory. It is high time that the Netherlands will also comply with that law and abolish a minimum youth wage for adults. I therefore ask the Commission to open an infringement procedure against the Netherlands.

20

Jan

2026

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Situation in Venezuela following the extraction of Maduro and the need to ensure a peaceful democratic transition (debate)

Madam President, High Representative, in the context of this debate, I would like to shine a light on three islands – Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao – that lie a mere 30–80 km off the coast of Venezuela. These islands are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and part of the EU overseas countries and territories. It is needless to say that what happens in Venezuela worries the people and the authorities of these islands, and it affects them – politically, economically and in migration. Therefore, I would like to ask the High Representative if there is already contact with representatives of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, either directly or via the Dutch Government. And if not, are you willing and planning to do that? Because it is important to listen to the representatives of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao in shaping the policy of the EU in the region – in general, but specifically now. We should not forget them.

17

Dec

2025

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Implementation of the rule of law conditionality regime (debate)

Mr President, when we think of democracy, we often think of elections. Democracy is so much more than that. Democracy is freedom of expression, feeling safe on the streets, being able to love who you want and a strong civil society. Democracy also gives people the power to question power critically. Democracy also includes the rule of law, which means that a country that does not adhere to those important values will suffer the consequences. That is why it is so important that we have systems "with European money". That we can freeze that European money if governments misbehave, for example when they want to control universities or when judges can no longer speak their law independently. This system could be significantly strengthened in the next Multiannual Financial Framework. It is also important for the Commission to use this system. We will continue to question the Commission on this.

16

Dec

2025

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Presentation of the European Affordable Housing Plan (debate)

Mr President, the Commission's proposals are very good, for example the proposal to adapt State aid rules. The fact that we have a presentation today on the Affordable Housing Plan makes today a historic day. Nevertheless, you say that the Commission's plans are a step in the right direction in terms of improving the functioning of the market. But don't we romanticize market forces too much as a solution? After all, without government intervention, prices also rise. How do you intend to stop speculators by further liberalising the market?

26

Nov

2025

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EU strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities post-2024 (debate)

26

Nov

2025

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The situation of Christian communities and religious minorities in Nigeria and the Middle East, and Europe’s responsibility to protect them and guarantee freedom of conscience (topical debate)

25

Nov

2025

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Escalation of the war and the humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, I think we all feel sympathy and solidarity with the people of Sudan, with the people of el-Fasher who were besieged, where rape as a weapon of war took place, where starvation as a weapon of war took place. And unfortunately this is not only in el-Fasher, this is also in other places in Sudan. The RSF, the Rapid Support Forces, commit these atrocities, but the SAF also commit atrocities. And it's good that we have humanitarian assistance, and it is good that our Commissioner has also said that we need more access for humanitarian assistance. We need more funds for humanitarian assistance because we need to support the people of Sudan, and we need to support the organisations in Sudan. However, solidarity and empathy alone are not going to end this war and are not going to end the suffering of the people in Sudan. We know what fuels this war. We know the richness of the soil of Sudan fuels the war. We know the illicit trade in gold fuels the war. So we must also act. We must stop block minerals from entering into the European Union. And we also must call a spade a spade: I think we must call the UAE and must make sure that they do not continue their support to RSF and to other actors. We must ask the Commission to stop the trade negotiations with the UAE as long as this is going on.

25

Nov

2025

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2024 budget – assessing the implementation of the gender mainstreaming methodology in the EU budget (A10-0212/2025 - Marit Maij) (vote)

Mr President, thanks to the colleagues that have worked with me on this report. Gender equality is an objective that is enshrined in the primary law of the EU, and a principle that should be at the core of all EU policies, and that is what we will be voting for in a minute. Some of you asked why gender mainstreaming is necessary in all EU programmes and funds. What does gender have to do with the development of medicines? Well, if medicines are designed for the average person, which is still a man, they will work less for women and might even overlook dangerous health consequences for women. What does gender have to do with human resources? Well, the average pay gap in the European Union is still 13 % and the average pension gap is a staggering 29 %. And what does gender mainstreaming have to do with the building of roads and of bridges? Well, my colleagues, we want roads and bridges to be safe for everyone that uses them. Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and we have talked about the dangers for all women. Therefore, there should be light on the roads and safe havens when we need to stop. And, when it is safe for women, it is safe for everybody. Medicines for all, safe roads, safe buildings, comfortable safety belts, honest wages, liveable pensions – I can continue. These are all important reasons for gender mainstreaming. And if that does not convince you, improving gender equality would lead to an increase of the EU GDP per capita by 6.1 % to 9.6 %, which amounts to EUR 1.95 trillion to EUR 3.15 trillion. And that, my friends, is something that I would vote in favour of.