Thierry Baudet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thierry Baudet
Baudet in 2025
Chair and leader of Forum for Democracy
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 September 2016
Leader of Forum for Democracy in the House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 April 2025
In office 23 March 2017 – 12 January 2025
Succeeded by	Gideon van Meijeren
Member of the House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 April 2025
In office 23 March 2017 – 12 January 2025
Succeeded by	Lidewij de Vos
Personal details
Born	Thierry Henri Philippe Baudet (1983-01-28) 28 January 1983 (age 42) Heemstede, Netherlands
Political party	Forum for Democracy (2016–present)
Spouse	Davide Heijmans ​ (m. 2021)​
Children	2
Residence	Amsterdam
Alma mater	University of Amsterdam (BA, LLM) Leiden University (PhD)
Occupation	Politician, author
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Thierry Henri Philippe Baudet (born 28 January 1983) is a Dutch politician and author. He is the founder and leader of Forum for Democracy (FvD). He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2017. He took a break for paternity leave and returned to his role. He serves as the party's parliamentary leader.

Early Life and Education

Baudet was born in Heemstede, Netherlands. His family has some Hugenout ancestors. One of his ancestors moved to the Netherlands in 1795.

He went to the Latin School of Haarlem. This school teaches Latin and Ancient Greek. He studied history at the University of Amsterdam. From 2007 to 2012, he studied for his PhD at Leiden University. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in 2012. His PhD work was about national identity and multiculturalism.

Political Career and Party Leadership

Baudet campaigning in 2020

In 2013, Baudet worked at Tilburg University. He also wrote columns for a newspaper. In 2016, he started a political group called Forum for Democracy (FvD). This group later became a political party.

In the 2017 general election, he was elected to the House of Representatives. He was elected along with Theo Hiddema. He even had his piano placed in his office in The Hague. In 2018, he received the Prize for Liberty. This award came from a group in Belgium called Libera!.

Baudet took a break from the House of Representatives. This was for his paternity leave. He stepped down on 12 January 2025. Lidewij de Vos replaced him during this time. He returned to his role on 1 April 2025.

Key Political Views

When he first started in politics, Baudet was a national conservative. He was also a Eurosceptic. This means he was against the European Union (EU). He wanted the Netherlands to leave the EU. He also campaigned against certain types of immigration. He believes in preserving the cultures of Europe.

Views on Foreign Policy

Baudet is against the European Union–Ukraine Association Agreement. His party, Forum for Democracy, helped gather signatures for a referendum on this topic in 2016. They campaigned for people to vote "No."

He has also spoken about the MH17 investigations. He supported the Dutch government in holding Russia responsible for the MH17 shootdown incident. In February 2022, he shared his thoughts on Vladimir Putin's actions in Ukraine. He said Russia was being "unnecessarily vilified." He did not condemn the invasion in a parliamentary debate.

Views on Arts and Society

Baudet has strong opinions about art. He wrote a book called Oikofobie. He prefers Western Realism in art. He also likes tonal music more than atonal music. He is not a fan of modern architecture.

He is not religious himself. However, he has shown some sympathy for Christianity. He has also been critical of Islam. He has expressed concerns about immigration from Islamic societies. He believes Islamic schools in the Netherlands should follow Western values.

Views on the Dutch Political System

Baudet often talks about what he calls a "party cartel." He believes the main ruling parties in the Netherlands work together. He thinks they share power and aim for the same goals. He says this happens even though they claim to be rivals.

Personal Life

In December 2021, Baudet married Davide Heijmans. She is a Dutch photographer. Their son, Lancelot, was born in September 2022. Their daughter, Penelope, was born in January 2025.

Electoral History

Published Works

• 2010: (ed. with Michiel Visser) Conservative progress. The greatest thinkers of the 20th century.
• 2011: (ed. with Michiel Visser) Revolutionary decline and conservative progress in the 18th and 19th centuries.
• 2012: Pro Europe therefore against the EU.
• 2012: The Significance of Borders. Why representative government and the rule of law require nation-states. (PhD dissertation)
• 2012: The attack on the nation state.
• 2013: Oikofobie. De angst voor het eigene (Oikophobia. The fear of home).
• 2014: (ed. with Geert Mak) At home in time.
• 2014: (with Arie Boomsma) From Bach to Bernstein. Classical music for everyone.
• 2014: Conditional love. (Novel)
• 2017: Break the party cartel. The necessity of referendums.
• 2018: Delivered from all whereto. (Novel)
• 2020: Politics of common sense.
• 2020: The havoc of ten years' Rutte.

See also

In Spanish: Thierry Baudet para niños