Eva Vlaardingerbroek: The Dutch Political Commentator Who Conquered Social Media

On December 11, 2024, Eva Vlaardingerbroek shared joyful news on her X account, announcing that she had reached 1 million followers on the platform (Vlaardingerbroek, 2024d).  Given Mrs. Vlaardingerbroek’s role in the public sphere, this milestone is remarkable. While Vlaardingerbroek identifies herself as a Dutch commentator, lawyer, and even the 'shieldmaiden of the far-right' (a label first assigned to her by the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant), others describe her as a legal philosopher, reporter, or far-right activist. I spent four and a half months, from September 2024 to January 2025, reviewing Eva Vlaardingerbroek’s pages on X and Instagram, observing and collecting data for further qualitative research. This article explains the nature of Vlaardingerbroek’s success by analyzing her political message and the application of algorithmic populism and algorithmic activism through social media platforms.

Meet Eva Vlaardingerbroek

Eva Vlaardingerbroek is a 28-year-old public figure born and raised in the Netherlands. She is known for her active support of Dutch farmers’ protests (Vlaardingerbroek, 2023a, 2023b), opposition to modern feminism (Cassius, 2019), and her former membership in the Dutch far-right political party Forum voor Democratie (commonly abbreviated as FvD, and translated into English as 'Forum for Democracy'). Vlaardingerbroek has  expanded her influence far beyond her home country and has been active on X since April 2018.  With her first publicly available photo on Instagram, dated 2014, she has gained 391,000 followers on Instagram and 1 million followers on X (as of January 9, 2025). 

Mrs. Vlaardingerbroek studied law at Utrecht University at the bachelor’s level and later pursued a master’s degree in the Encyclopedia and Philosophy of Law at Leiden University (“Eva Vlaardingerbroek,” 2025). In 2016, she joined FvD, led by the well-known Dutch politician Thierry Baudet (“Eva Vlaardingerbroek,” 2025). While Baudet describes his political party as ‘a broad liberal-conservative movement’ (Baudet, 2019), others regard it as a radical right-wing populist party (Otjes, 2021). FvD’s key positions include prioritizing national sovereignty (Dutch withdrawal from the EU — Nexit), halting naturalization and asylum, and banning transgender propaganda. Vlaardingerbroek’s career at FvD did not last long: in 2020, following the scandal surrounding antisemitic and racist behavior by some representatives of JFVD (the youth wing of FvD) and Thierry Baudet’s weak response to the situation, Vlaardingerbroek left the party along with other party members (4 van de 10 Eerste Kamerleden van Forum splitsen zich af, 2020). 

Since then, Eva Vlaardingerbroek has appeared on several programs hosted by Tucker Carlson on Fox News (Fox News, 2023a, 2023b), Mark Steyn on GBNews (GBNews, 2022a, 2022b), Julian Reichelt on the YouTube channel Achtung, Reichelt! (Achtung, Reichelt!, 2022), and Jordan Peterson on his eponymous YouTube channel (Jordan B Peterson, 2024). In 2021, Mrs. Vlaardingerbroek worked as a presenter for Let’s Talk About It, a pan-European show on the Swedish media platform Riks, which is affiliated with the far-right party Sverigedemokraterna (Sweden Democrats), and was broadcast on the Riks YouTube channel (“Eva Vlaardingerbroek,” 2025). In 2023, Eva Vlaardingerbroek announced that she was baptized into Roman Catholicism (Vlaardingerbroek, 2023c). In 2024, Eva Vlaardingerbroek gave a prominent speech on the Great Replacement conspiracy theory at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held in Hungary (Vlaardingerbroek, 2024b). 

Eva Vlaardingerbroek as a Public Sphere Actor

Although Eva Vlaardingerbroek is not technically a politician and does not identify as one, she holds a significant role in the public sphere, actively shaping political discourse. In an interview with Colm Flynn for EWTN News, the political commentator stated that she believes she has "found [her] way outside the political system" (EWTN, 2024). While the path chosen by Eva Vlaardingerbroek is indeed technically outside the political system, this does not imply she is outside politics altogether. Political commentators are widely recognized and relied upon as news sources (Bro, 2011). They are also frequently described as ‘‘pundits’’ (Nimmo & Combs, 1992, as cited in Bro, 2011), ‘‘opinion makers’’ (Rivers, 1967, as cited in Bro, 2011), ‘‘columnists’’ (Fisher, 1944, as cited in Bro, 2011), and ‘‘moulders of opinion’’ (Bulman, 1945, as cited in Bro, 2011). The labels ‘‘opinion makers’’ and ‘‘moulders of opinion’’ speak for themselves: political commentators shape public opinion, set the agenda, and frame issues—much like politicians or other public sphere actors, such as journalists or influencers. 

However, political commentators differ from both journalists and influencers in tangible ways. In addition to their opinion-making function, they also position themselves—and are positioned by others—as ‘‘pundits,’’ or experts with in-depth knowledge of specific issues, which lends authority and weight to their commentary. They project themselves—and are projected by others—as individuals capable of critically assessing the news and authorized to explain it to the public. In essence, modern political commentators, such as Eva Vlaardingerbroek, present themselves as all-in-one figures: reliable news sources and meaning-makers within the public sphere, legitimized by their claimed expertise in politics. Further, many political commentators, including Mrs. Vlaardingerbroek, deliberately distance themselves from third parties, emphasizing their claimed independence and impartiality. The website linked in the profile bio on Vlaardingerbroek’s page on X invites supporters to donate to ‘‘an independent political and cultural commentator and legal philosopher’’ to aid her ‘‘fight for freedom in the Western world’’ (see the screenshot below). 

Therefore, Eva Vlaardingerbroek positions herself as an unbiased political commentator, independent of any third parties, contributing to her political persona and fostering trust between her and her audience. However, the confusion surrounding her persona stems from her own uncertainty about her place in the public sphere: she prefers to be referred to as a political commentator but occasionally shifts roles, such as presenting herself as a reporter (see the screenshot below). 

Even if she positions herself as a political commentator or reporter, Eva Vlaardingerbroek is first of all a metapolitical New Right influencer (Maly, 2020),effectively usingher media literacy to disseminate her message via social media platforms. The concept of the New Right, which traces its origins to La Nouvelle Droite, has since evolved due to the development of digital media and its influence in post-digital societies. In a hybrid media system, metapolitical influencers play a significant role in popularizing right-wing ideologies and are part of a broader metapolitical strategy to reshape meanings. Eva Vlaardingerbroek exemplifies this strategy, utilizing social media platforms to influence public discourse and promote New Right ideologies in the digital age. 

The Message 

The success of Mrs. Vlaardingerbroek’s political persona can be attributed to her effective political messaging. Message refers to one’s strategically constructed, conceivable ‘character’ presented to an audience “with a biography and a moral profile crafted out of issues rendered of interest in the public sphere” (Lempert & Silverstein, 2012, p. 1). Message (capitalized to avoid possible misinterpretation) encompasses not only what a politician or influencer literally says about ‘‘the issues’’ but also what they intend to communicate to their audience about their identity and persona by selectively associating themselves with specific issues (Lempert & Silverstein, 2012, p. 2). Furthermore, Message is multimodal: it incorporates various elements, including speech, gesture, staging, and clothing (Lempert & Silverstein, 2012, p. 26). In marketing terms, Message is akin to brand (Silverstein, 2011). To achieve success, a political persona must excel in political messaging—or, in marketing terms, branding. The brands of successful political personas are distinct, recognizable, and clear, enabling the public to recall them quickly. Political personas can be compared to fictional characters in novels, with the public interpreting and engaging with their narratives. Audiences may sympathize with, love, or hate these figures, adding their own meaning to the story. Although constructed, the Message is also dialogical—it’s not only about how it is delivered (input) but also how it is received and interpreted (uptake). The following section analyzes Eva Vlaardingerbroek's social media communications on both X and Instagram and excerpts from her offline appearances shared online, focusing on how they contribute to her political persona.

She claims to advocate for the native white populations of Western civilization, whom she perceives as endangered by migration, and her portrayal as a 'true' native white European with naturally blue eyes reinforces her message.

The Great Replacement Conspiracy Theory

Eva Vlaardingerbroek has strategically selected key issues that resonate in the current Western public sphere, with migration emerging as a central focus in her discourse. In 2024, she was invited as a guest speaker at CPAC, an event established in 1974 in the USA to bring together conservative and libertarian American politicians, media, and interested audiences. The 2024 CPAC event in Hungary marked a pivotal moment in Vlaardingerbroek's political career. Active primarily in online space with scarce traditional media attention, she was afforded a unique platform to deliver her message to a broader audience. She focused on the Great Replacement conspiracy theory in her speech and criticized the EU establishment. In the description accompanying the speech posted on X, she wrote: "I spoke the forbidden truth: The Great Replacement is no longer a theory—it’s reality" (Vlaardingerbroek, 2024b). She framed her speech as a bold assertion of truth, challenging what she perceives as the EU establishment and other Western elites who forbid the voicing of truth, insisting that the Great Replacement conspiracy theory is no longer a theory but a harsh reality. 

Corrupt EU Establishments

The second key issue selected by Mrs. Vlaardingerbroek is the battle against the allegedly corrupt EU and the broader Western establishment, which she claims does not prioritize the rights of native white populations. During the CPAC event, the political commentatorcommented on Remix News & Views, where she stated the following: ‘‘... this continent, Europe, has been predominantly white for the entirety of its history and now suddenly within one generation a few bureaucrats have decided against the will of the people that we should suddenly be a minority. Why do we agree to that, or why do we allow it to happen?’’ (Remix News & Views, 2024). Mrs. Vlaardingerbroek remains consistent in her discourse about the EU; moreover, she often urges others ‘’to wake up’’ and join her in this struggle. 

Eva Vlaardingerbroek's Style, Image, & Strategy 

Another important aspect of Vlaardingerbroek’s political persona is her style. Whenever invited to programs or events, she presents herself as official and professional, wearing strict, stylish suits, nude makeup, and neatly styled hair. The key element of her style is the Christian cross, which often stands out in Vlaardingerbroek's looks. However, a clear difference exists between the political commentator’s appearances at events or on programs as a guest speaker and her approach to addressing the audience online. In the videos she regularly posts on her X account, Vlaardingerbroek adopts a more ‘domestic’ appearance, creating the impression that viewers are sitting in her living room, engaging in a transparent and unmediated conversation. This approach fosters a sense of intimacy with her audience and aligns her style more closely with influencers seeking to build strong community connections. 

While attacking democracy herself, Vlaardingerbroek completely reverses the narrative, framing the EU establishment as anti-democratic and corrupt, acting against the will of the people.

Furthermore, her cultivated image as a young white European woman with blue eyes influences the perception of her discourse, which is shaped by an ethno-differentialist ideology. She claims to advocate for the native white populations of Western civilization, whom she perceives as endangered by migration, and her portrayal as a 'true' native white European with naturally blue eyes reinforces her message. Vlaardingerbroek accuses the EU and other Western ‘‘corrupt’’ elites of endorsing migration and discriminating against suppressed white populations. For instance, in one of her X posts (see the screenshot below), she sarcastically expresses surprise over ‘‘an actual European, blonde, blue-eyed woman’’ winning Miss Universe. Using a sarcastic tone, she suggests alleged discrimination against white Europeans, implying they were unable to win the contest in previous years due to their race. 

Language is another crucial element of Vlaardingerbroek’s political persona. Although she is a native Dutch speaker, she exclusively uses English on her social media pages. This allows her to reach a broader audience and aligns with her narrative of representing the white populations of Western civilization in general. 

Lastly, Vlaardingerbroek’s strategy of openness about her private life also contributes to her political persona. Vlaardingerbroek regularly shares updates about her marriage (Vlaardingerbroek, 2024c), her motherhood (Vlaardingerbroek, 2025), and her faith (Vlaardingerbroek, 2024a). She presents herself as a traditional white European Christian woman who embraces conservative values. Though fighting against modern feminism (Cassius, 2019), she instead portrays herself as a good wife and mother. This carefully constructed image resonates with her audience. For instance, her post about her child (Vlaardingerbroek, 2025) received over a million views and 31,000 likes, sparking numerous favorable comments (see the screenshot below). This fully aligns with her national conservative ideology, emphasizing family values and religion. 

Algorithmic Populism & Algorithmic Activism

Is Eva Vlaardingerbroek a populist? Populism is often associated with politicians, a label applied to them by the media, individuals, and sometimes even by the politicians themselves. The keywords of the possible definitions of populism are ‘‘the people,’’ ‘‘the voice of the people,’’ and ‘‘the elite’’ or ‘‘the establishment’’ (Maly, 2022). Simply put, a populist employs a populist frame, presenting themselves as the voice of the people or the representative of the general will while opposing the establishment. Maly (2022, p. 34) understands populism as ‘‘a mediatized chronotopic communicative and discursive relation,’’ and argues that digital media gave birth to a new form of populism—algorithmic populism (Maly, 2022, p. 36). He defines algorithmic populism as ‘‘a digitally mediated and chronotopic communicative relation between different human and algorithmic actors’’ (Maly, 2022, p. 43). This definition highlights the complex interplay between the elements that constitute both input and uptake: a communicator with “an anti-elite discourse in the name of the sovereign People” (Aslanidis, 2016, p. 96, as cited in Maly, 2022, p. 43), knowledge of the people’s needs, other actors (journalists, academics, etc.) who label populists as such, digital media infrastructure, and finally, the uptake from the people (Maly, 2022, p. 43). This section focuses on the use of the algorithmic populist frame applied by Eva Vlaardingerbroek within a specific context, analyzing the interplay between input and uptake from social media users.  

Eva Vlaardingerbroek operates within the algorithmic populism frame, positioning herself as a communicator with an anti-establishment discourse on behalf of the people.

In November 2024, Eva Vlaardingerbroek shared her comment on the Italian court ruling to return seven men from a migration hub in Albania to Italy (see the screenshot below). 

Mrs. Vlaardingerbroek uses first-person plural narration 'we' to address the public. This signifies that the political commentator aligns herself with others of a specific group. Rather than positioning herself as an outsider, which one might expect from a political commentator, she emphasizes her belonging to the group. The group she refers to is Europeans but with a very specific definition. This group is not all Europeans, but rather native white citizens—not 'illegal aliens,' as the user Ian Miles Cheong labels migrants in his original post. In other words, Eva Vlaardingerbroek implies that her opinion reflects the general sentiment of this specific group, as she belongs to it. She positions herself as speaking on behalf of these people, addressing issuesof particular interest to them. Further, Vlaardingerbroek refers to the Italian judges who made this ruling as 'these types of far-left activists in our judiciary systems,' expressing her clear contempt for them. By labeling Italian judges as 'far-left' based solely on their ruling and calling them 'activists,' she undermines their professionalism and expertise, sowing doubt about their competence and legitimacy. This constitutes a direct attack on the rule of law and the separation of powers, which, in turn, is a direct assault on democracy. According to Israel (2009), democracy is a representative system of governance based on equality and universal rights, rejecting hierarchical structures such as monarchy and religious authority. By targeting the judicial branch, Mrs. Vlaardingerbroek directly challenges the democratic principles of representativeness and the separation of powers. 

While attacking democracy herself, Vlaardingerbroek completely reverses the narrative, framing the EU establishment as anti-democratic and corrupt, acting against the will of the people. She implies that the EU establishment sees itself as 'Gods above the will of the People' (it is also interesting that she capitalizes the word 'People,' emphasizing its significance and her respect for them). 

Thus, Eva Vlaardingerbroek operates within the algorithmic populism frame, positioning herself as a communicator with an anti-establishment discourse on behalf of the people. She leverages her understanding of her audience's concerns and disseminates her message using digital media infrastructure. Another significant aspect is that this comment is attached to a repost from a verified X account with the username @stillgray, which has 1.1 million followers. This account belongs to Ian Miles Cheong, a Malaysian right-wing commentator and social media influencer (de Guzman, 2024). Cheong and Vlaardingerbroek follow each other, and they share a lot of mutual followings: Elon Musk (who also follows both of them), Donald J. Trump, Viktor Orbán, etc. Cheong also replies to Vlaardingerbroek’s repost: 

Besides, some comments under Vlaardingerbroek’s post come from far-right verified accounts (see the screenshots below): 

These comments align with the logic of algorithmic activism, defined as a form of activism that amplifies a political persona’s message by engaging with posts to trigger algorithms, thereby boosting views and popularity (Maly, 2022, p. 45). Eva Vlaardingerbroek is part of a global New Right network that 'looks after' each other, helping each other's posts gain virality. When their posts become viral, triggered by their peers' actions, it grants them leverage to claim legitimation—a claim that Eva Vlaardingerbroek also makes by asserting she speaks on behalf of the people. 

Far-right media-literate supporters boost Vlaardingerbroek’s account by engaging with it (commenting, liking, reposting, and saving). Additionally, Eva Vlaardingerbroek frequently comments on posts by Elon Musk and far-right accounts, demonstrating her knowledge of algorithms. 

Final Remarks

Eva Vlaardingerbroek's rise as the "shieldmaiden of the far-right" is attributed to her political messaging, use of algorithmic populism, and strategic engagement in algorithmic activism. Demonstrating a masterful understanding of social media affordances and algorithms, Vlaardingerbroek skillfully leverages these tools to advance her influence and political persona.

Operating within a populist framework, she positions herself as a defender of native white European populations, portraying them as under threat from a "corrupt" EU establishment. Her engagement with prominent figures, such as Elon Musk and other far-right personalities, not only amplifies her visibility but also reinforces her political brand. By cultivating a sense of community and portraying herself as an insider closely aligned with her audience, Vlaardingerbroek mobilizes her supporters to engage with her content, significantly extending her reach.

Ultimately, Vlaardingerbroek's success highlights the intersection of digital media and political messaging in the post-digital era, underscoring the increasing role of social media platforms in shaping contemporary political discourses. 

The New Right has found a way to redefine meanings. Now, it is up to the public to decide whether it isauthorized to do that.

References

Achtung, Reichelt! (2022, October 22). „Das ist ein Angriff der Linken auf die Kinder!“ // Eva Vlaardingerbroek bei „Achtung, Reichelt!“ ["This is an Attack by the Left on the Children!" // Eva Vlaardingerbroek on "Achtung, Reichelt!’’] [Video]. YouTube. 

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Cassius. (2019, December 30). Eva Vlaardingerbroek's controversial speech about the dangers of modern feminism, English subtitles [Video]. YouTube.

de Guzman, C. (2024, February 14). People online are fantasizing about Malaysia cracking down on right-wing commentator Ian Miles Cheong. Time. 

Eva Vlaardingerbroek. (2025, January 6). In Wikipedia. 

EWTN. (2024, July 11). Eva Vlaardingerbroek on Becoming Catholic [Video]. YouTube. 

Fox News. (2023a, March 25). Tucker: Philosopher explains how the strategy of creating a crisis is incredibly effective [Video]. YouTube. 

Fox News. (2023b, April 15). Politicians know when they control the food, they control the people: Activist [Video]. YouTube. 

GBNews. (2022a, August 1). Eva Vlaardingerbroek: Do the Dutch support the Dutch farmer protests? | Mark Steyn [Video]. YouTube.   

GBNews. (2022b, September 27). Eva Vlaardingerbroek discusses pledge that Giorgia Meloni will be unable to ‘forsake’ [Video]. YouTube. 

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Maly, I. (2020). Metapolitical New Right influencers: The case of Brittany Pettibone. Social Sciences, 9(7), 113. 

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Remix News & Views. (2024, April 26). EXC: "The choice is yours and I've made mine!" @EvaVlaar tells Remix News she has accepted she will be [Post]. X. 

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Vlaardingerbroek, E. [@EvaVlaar]. (2023a, February 8). ‘Dutch Farmers announce largest protest yet to come on March 11th in The Hague.’ Hell yeah! [Repost]. X. 

Vlaardingerbroek, E. [@eva.vlaar]. (2023b, March 11). Stand with the Dutch Farmers! We’re on our way to protest our government and their criminal policies! [Post]. Instagram. 

Vlaardingerbroek, E. [@eva.vlaar]. (2023c, April 23). My father and I were both confirmed and received into the Holy Catholic Church, today at the Ordinariate in London [Post]. Instagram. 

Vlaardingerbroek, E. [@EvaVlaar]. (2024a, April 23). Exactly one year ago my father @KeesVlaar and I came Home. My life has changed dramatically since. This year has [Post]. X. 

Vlaardingerbroek, E. [@EvaVlaar]. (2024b, April 27). Here it is! The full speech I gave at #CPACHungary that the establishment is losing its [Video on X]. X. 

Vlaardingerbroek, E. [@eva.vlaar]. (2024c, July 17). 13-07-2024. I am so blessed to be your wife, mijn Frans [Post]. Instagram. 

Vlaardingerbroek, E. [@EvaVlaar]. (2024d, December 11). Just reached 1 MILLION followers here on @X. The past 4 years have been the adventure [Post]. X. 

Vlaardingerbroek, E. [@EvaVlaar]. (2025, January 4). Our little angel [Post]. X. 

4 van de 10 Eerste Kamerleden van Forum splitsen zich af. [4 out of 10 members of the Senate representing Forum split off]. (2020, November 27). RTL Nieuws.