Thierry Aartsen

Alfons Adrianus "Thierry" Aartsen (born 19 December 1989) is a Dutch politician who has been serving as a Member of the House of Representatives since September 2018. He served as a councillor of Breda municipality between 2010 and 2018. Aartsen is a member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).

Education and career Aartsen completed the havo at the Newmancollege in Breda. Afterwards, he studied European Studies at The Hague University of Applied Sciences, where he obtained a bachelor's degree.

Aartsen joined the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) in 2007. When he took office, he received criticism for a number of tweets that he had posted a few years earlier concerning suicides by train causing him delays. He apologised for the tweets. Following his re-election in 2023, Aartsen became the VVD's spokesperson for socioeconomic policy, labor conditions, labor migration, retirement benefits, and the Dutch royal house. He received another term after the October 2025 general election.

Political views Aartsen has referred to the Dutch welfare system as "a kind of redistribution monster", arguing that reductions in benefits as income increases discourage work and place the working middle class at a disadvantage. He has advocated for reforms to the system of benefits and tax credits.

He wrote a white paper on labor migration in 2024, marking a partial break with the VVD's prior stance against limiting the practice. Aartsen attributed housing, education, and healthcare issues to increased migration overall, which he described as the most pressing political issue. He argued that reliance on unskilled foreign workers should be reduced by subsidizing automation and by ultimately increasing labor costs for specific sectors. Aartsen also suggested that companies along with municipalities should take on greater responsibility for housing labor migrants.

Electoral history

+ YearBodyPartyVotesResult.Party seatsIndividual 2017 House of Representatives VVD 46 1,342 33 2021 House of Representatives VVD 11 5,441 34 2023 House of Representatives VVD 13 4,071 24 2025 House of Representatives VVD 14 3,834 22