New State Secretary will not distance himself from "fewer Moroccans" tweet

Incoming PVV State Secretary Chris Jansen will not distance himself from a tweet he published eight years ago in which he stated that fewer Moroccan people in the Netherlands would lead to a reduction in nuisance and crime. He made that statement in “a different context” and still stands by it, he said during a hearing on Friday in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament.

Jansen emphasized that he made many statements in the past in different capacities as a municipal councilor for years and now as a representative in Flevoland. “As state secretary, you will not hear me make this kind of comment. As a representative, I am still 100 percent behind the choices I have made.”

The incoming state secretary for public transport and environmental policy also did not distance himself from the “Minder Marokkanen” speech made by PVV leader Geert Wilders in 2014 in which he and a crowd shouted that they wanted fewer Moroccans in the country, a speech which led to a hate speech conviction. Jansen was the only PVV member on the Almere City Council at the time who did not condemn the comments.

Jansen confirmed that he still has the same views, but will no longer express them because he will become state secretary. “As a person, I stand behind the statements I have made,” he said to ANP.

He sees no problem in publicly repeating these views, despite the fact that the four coalition parties have made agreements about such statements, and to uphold the rule of law. This includes Article 1 of the Dutch Constitution which states, “Discrimination on grounds of religion, belief, political opinion, race, gender, disability, sexual orientation or on any other basis is not permitted.”

That said, Jansen stated he will not tolerate it if his ministry discusses people with Moroccan heritage in that way. “Everyone needs a safe work environment,” he said. “So a moment where this is brought to my attention, I would start a conversation about it.”