DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

15 October 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Election 2025
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Election 2025
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

On owls, women and the boreal world: 10 things Thierry Baudet has said

March 26, 2019
Thierry Baudet. Photo: Martijn Beekman via HH
Thierry Baudet. Photo: Martijn Beekman via HH

As the new kid on the political block in the Netherlands, Thierry Baudet has brought his own, distinctive rhetorical style with him. Here are some of the things he has said in public or to the media – with an explanation of what they mean where necessary.

On the environment
‘There is no increase in extreme weather. The climate is warming up at a much slower rate than predicted. More CO2 has a fantastic effect on plant growth. Smog in India has nothing to do with CO2.’ (AD, January 11, 2018)

On women in the workplace
‘I do know that women in general do not excel as much in some professions and are less ambitious. They are often more interested in family and suchlike.’ (Quote, April 2017)

On what women really want
‘The reality is that women don’t just wanted to be treated ‘respectfully’ by their sex partner; they don’t want you to respect their ‘no’, their resistance. The reality is that women want to be overruled, dominated, yes, overpowered.’ (Column, November 19, 2014)

On western man’s role in the world
‘We survived a number of ice ages, we have knocked down mammoths, we are bearers, we are heirs to the greatest civilisation that ever existed.’ (Election victory speech, March 21, 2019)

On civilisation
‘Like all the other countries in our boreal world we are being destroyed by the very people who are supposed to protect us. We are being undermined by our universities, our journalists. By people who get art subsidies and who design our buildings.’ (Election victory speech, March 21, 2019)

The word ‘boreal’ (northern) is also beloved of far-right politicians including Jean-Marie Le Pen as a veiled term for Aryan or white supremacy.

On the provincial election results
‘Minerva’s owl spreads its wings at dusk’. (Post electoral speech, March 21)

Minerva is the goddess of wisdom and the owl imagery was used by German philosopher Hegel in 1821 to say that man only recognises the ills of the world when darkness falls and it is too late to remedy them. Except of course if Baudet takes the helm.

On immigration
‘Malevolent, aggressive elements are being introduced into our society in unprecedented numbers.’ (FD, February 12, 2017)

On the Dutch
‘The homeopathic dilution of the Dutch population with all the peoples of the world means there will be no Dutch people left.’ (PvD party conference, in run up to elections in March, 2017)

On architecture
‘Koolhaas (architect Remco Koolhaas, DN) is just a representative of a dominant era in which our aesthetic sense has been derailed. I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been ideologically brainwashed would deny that. What we are achieving in modern art and urban design is a product of the same mindset as our migration and multiculturalism policy. The great western civilisation project has received a blow; the destruction of the last hundred years.’ (NRC, November 24, 2018)

Baudet on Baudet
‘I knew from the start that I would be the only person capable of changing politics. I don’t see any other talented people in the Netherlands.’ (NRC, November 24, 2018).

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Politics
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Heineken slashes 400 jobs at Amsterdam headquarters
MEPs push back against suggested curbs to air passenger rights
Energy prices are going to increase, let’s try to profit from it
Most capped international Sherida Spitse to call it a day at 248
Minister to brief parliament on “historic” takeover at Nexperia
NewsHomeEconomyElection 2025Art and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you with up-to-date news about this month's Dutch general election.

Our thanks to everyone who donates regularly to Dutch News. It costs money to produce our daily news service, our original features and daily newsletters, and we could not do it without you.

If you have not yet made a donation, or did so a while ago, you can do so via these links

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now