The term ‘remigration’ is increasingly appearing in Dutch debates, which is both unjustified and concerning. It essentially refers to the voluntary return of migrants to their country of origin but is used as a euphemism for the large-scale expulsion of people with a migration background in extreme-right circles.
- The term ‘remigratie’ refers to voluntary return of migrants.
- Martin Sellner presented his ‘masterplan remigratie’ in November 2023.
- The term appears in programs of PVV, FvD, BVNL, and JA21.
- FvD mentions ‘remigratie’ seventeen times in their election program.
- Wierd Duk aims to bring ‘remigratie’ debate to mainstream.
- AfD was labeled as right-extremist in early 2024.
Over the past decade, the pan-European Identitarian Movement, a network of extreme-right activists, has actively sought to spread and normalize this term. Their central concern is the perceived ‘Islamization of Europe’ and the belief that migration undermines European civilization.
In Germany, the term gained significant attention after the investigative platform Correctiv revealed a secret meeting in November 2023 organized by AfD members. The main guest was Martin Sellner, a prominent figure in the Identitarian Movement, who presented his ‘master plan remigration’ aimed at expelling millions of people with a migration background.
Sellner has promoted ‘remigration’ for years, organizing a ‘Remigration Summit’ in Milan in May. Speakers included Eva Vlaardingerbroek and Freek Jansen from the FvD. Sellner stated that repeating the term ‘remigration’ frequently would help familiarize the public with it.
The term is also steadily entering political discourse in the Netherlands, appearing in the programs of four parties on the extreme right: PVV, FvD, BVNL, and JA21. The term is also present in the election program of the BBB, showing the influence of the PVV’s participation in the government.
The FvD is the most outspoken, mentioning ‘remigration’ seventeen times in its election program. It includes proposals for a naturalization stop, support for remigration to countries of origin, and a GreenCard system for ‘economically valuable’ migrants.
Outside parliamentary politics, Wierd Duk recently expressed a desire to bring the debate over ‘remigration’ into the mainstream, claiming that ‘our western democracies are collapsing under immigration.’
The AfD was officially labeled as extremist by the domestic security service in early 2024, partly due to its explicit advocacy for ‘remigration.’ In the Netherlands, FvD leader Lidewij de Vos has openly discussed the same theme in the Tweede Kamer without any backlash.
The uncritical adoption of terms like ‘remigration’ is not innocuous. It fits into a strategy of the extreme right to gradually normalize such ideas, boosting the movement’s confidence and translating into electoral gains and increased visibility.
Originally reported by www.groene.nl as “‘Remigratie’ – De Groene Amsterdammer” on 2025-09-22 22:43:00.
