What Marit spoke about.

26

Nov

2025

NL Speech

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

26

Nov

2025

NL Speech

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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

EN Speech

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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…

25

Nov

2025

EN Speech

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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 …

23

Oct

2025

NL Speech

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Combating violence against women and girls, including the exploitation of motherhood (debate)

Mr President, this week there was a report from GREVIO, and that was hard work. The Netherlands does far too little against violence against women. Ten years ago, the Netherlands signed the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, but in practice it is doing far too little to combat it effectively. The consequences are immense. Women and girls are not safe on the str…

21

Oct

2025

NL Speech

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Renewing the EU-Africa Partnership: building common priorities ahead of the Angola Summit (debate)

Mr President, we are talking about the renewal of the EU-Africa partnership and it is impossible to talk in the menu about how important this relationship between the EU and Africa is. That is why I would like to highlight two points. Firstly, there is the importance of people-to-people exchanges, getting to know each other and working together, especially young people going to study in Africa or …

8

Oct

2025

NL Speech

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Second World Summit for Social Development (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, as many as 50 million people today live and work in modern slavery. There are also people in Europe who work in deplorable working conditions and are being exploited. At the same time, we are organising a summit in a country like Qatar, a country known for the exploitation of workers. Is it fair, then, to hold this summit in Qatar at the very least, when we know that th…

8

Oct

2025

NL Speech

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Establishment and functioning of European Works Councils - effective enforcement (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, imagine the following: you have been working for years at a beautiful, large company with branches in the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and perhaps in many other countries. However, the workload is increasing, while decisions are made elsewhere. No one listens to the people who actually do the work. Until the works council intervenes and makes clear: We also have a voice a…

7

Oct

2025

NL Speech

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Situation in Afghanistan: supporting women and communities affected by the recent earthquakes (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, how can you ask for help if your voice cannot be heard? How can you be helped if you are not allowed to receive medical help from a man, but women are not allowed to work? There are no more options for many women in Afghanistan. The earthquake, which caused hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries, revealed that women's protection had been crumbling for a long time.…

7

Oct

2025

EN Speech

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This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Luc Frieden (debate)

Madam President, dear Prime Minister, dear colleagues, the cooperation between Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium is special. For decades, the Benelux have seen economic, political, cultural and social cooperation and integration at our border regions and between our countries. And that cooperation ensures that these three founding Member States have a strong say in the European Union. Also t…

10

Sep

2025

NL Speech

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Case of Victoire Ingabire in Rwanda

Mr President, Commissioner, in Rwanda it is safe on the streets, but it is not safe to speak out. There are leading sporting events, there is economic progress and security, but these are a stark contrast to the political situation in Rwanda. Victoire Ingabire is one of the many political opponents of the regime who is stuck for her political opinion. And now for the second time. After her first a…

9

Sep

2025

NL Speech

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Cohesion policy (joint debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, cohesion policy is an essential part of the European Union and ensures that all regions can continue to develop economically and socially, and that everyone benefits from that very important European single market. Cohesion policy plays an important role in developing jobs – job creation – and social inclusion. Cohesion policy must be able to continue to do so in the fu…

9

Sep

2025

NL Speech

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European Social Fund (ESF+): specific measures to address strategic challenges (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, I would also like to thank all colleagues for their valuable contribution during this important debate and also during the negotiations and the process towards it. We have seen time and time again that the ESF+ is indispensable for developing the European Union in the way we want it to be. A European Union where physical safety and social security go hand in hand. We ca…

9

Sep

2025

EN Speech

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European Social Fund (ESF+): specific measures to address strategic challenges (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, dear Executive Vice‑President, dear Roxana, today we are discussing the already much discussed European Social Fund Plus. The ESF+ is the core fund for the European social agenda and is so important in achieving skills development, social inclusion and in ending, for example, child poverty. Just before the summer, the Commission proposed a revision of the ESF+ to add…

8

Sep

2025

NL Speech

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Mr President, at least six women have been murdered in the Netherlands this summer because they are women. Six women are killed every day in Europe because they are women. One-third live under physical or sexual violence. That's more than 50 million women in Europe. Living with fear is the reality for girls and women in Europe, for millions. And that has to stop. Not by teaching girls and women to…

9

Jul

2025

NL Speech

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Outcome of the Conference on the Financing for Development in Seville (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, last week in southern Europe the code was red because of the warm weather. But for more than a hundred countries, living in flaming debt, it's been code red for a long time. We were in hot Seville for the International Conference on Financing for Development. Without understanding the position of the European Parliament, because the right wing here in Parliame…

9

Jul

2025

NL Speech

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Democratic Republic of the Congo-Rwanda peace deal agreement (debate)

Mr President, I met her last month in Congo, a 15-year-old girl. At home, a gang member raped her so brutally that she had to be helped and stitched in the hospital. She wanted to return home as soon as possible to go back to school. Mathematics is what she likes best. But she doesn't dare go home anymore. She asks me if I have children. Yeah, I have two kids. She doesn't want any more children, b…

18

Jun

2025

NL Speech

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Rise in violence and the deepening humanitarian crisis in South Sudan (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, South Sudan is a fertile country, rich in mineral resources. And yet it is one of the poorest countries in the world. For many decades, and certainly since independence, South Sudan has been plagued by war and conflict. Civilian villages are being bombed. Girls and women are raped. Sexual violence is used as a weapon and political opponents are locked up without trial. …

7

May

2025

NL Speech

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Arrest and risk of execution of Tundu Lissu, Chair of Chadema, the main opposition party in Tanzania

Mr President, Commissioner, Tundu Lissu may face the death penalty in Tanzania. And what is his crime? Opposition to the Tanzanian government. There are charges hanging over his head for spreading false information and treason. Betrayal is punishable by death in Tanzania. In October 2025, there will be elections in a country where opposition leaders are now being rolled up in a wave of arbitrary a…

6

May

2025

NL Speech

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Discharge 2023 (joint debate)

Mr President, in this debate I would have liked to talk about the agreements that we, as shadows also during the negotiations, for example following the reports on the working conditions and contracts of cleaners in the European agencies, agreed on gender equality in staff policy and its implementation or training against cross-border behaviour. But I am going to use my speaking time to speak, pre…

2

Apr

2025

NL Speech

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Topical debate (Rule 169) - Social Europe: making life affordable, protecting jobs, wages and health for all

Mr President, Europe and social policy are not often linked, despite the fact that many of the rights we take for granted came from European policy. These include family leave, the maximum number of working hours and the minimum number of vacation days, pay transparency, anti-discrimination laws and the right to strike. We've already achieved a lot, but we're not there yet. Standstill is backwards…

1

Apr

2025

NL Speech

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Targeted attacks against Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – defending religious freedom and security (debate)

Mr President, colleagues, High Representative, the need in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains high. There are still a huge number of casualties in the conflict, many civilian casualties, including religious communities. As in many countries in the region, the Congolese population is mainly the victim of the struggle for rich soil. Everyone wants to benefit from the minerals and raw materials…

1

Apr

2025

EN Speech

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Dramatic situation in Gaza and the need for an immediate return to the full implementation of the ceasefire and hostage release agreement (debate)

Madam President, I wanted to make a point of order. Well, actually, I wanted to make probably my colleague's point of order, because I think it's totally outrageous if we disagree and if we disagree, we disagree heavily – that's okay. But we should not accuse each other of antisemitism in this room.…

31

Mar

2025

NL Speech

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One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Mr President, on our European roads, 3 million people drive in a cabin to carry freight around day and night. Truckers do their job with love. It is also a wonderful profession, but also a profession with risks, where cowboy companies flout rules at the expense of truck drivers. I was in Venlo on Friday, where four brave drivers from Central Asia protested against inhumane working conditions. Thei…

12

Mar

2025

NL Speech

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Severe political, humanitarian and human rights crisis in Sudan, in particular the sexual violence and child rape

Mr President, the rich history of Sudan and the rich soil of Sudan are a stark contrast to the situation of the Sudanese themselves. There is also something to get in Sudan, such as gold. Also for our phones, for our jewelry, for our devices. Countries, for example in the Middle East, but also in the European Union, benefit from the raw materials from Sudan and thus continue to facilitate and fina…