The Groot-Nederlandse Studentenvereniging (Greater Netherlands Student Association, GNSV) is a right-wing extremist offline group that supports 'remigration'. That is the conclusion of a report by the National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV), published this Tuesday. In recent years, the GNSV has repeatedly had a presence at the Radboud University orientation week market.

“In 2026, various kinds of offline groups are active in the Netherlands that the AIVD considers right-wing extremist, including White Lives Matter (WLM), the Geuzenbond, the Groot-Nederlandse Studentenvereniging (GNSV) (founded by the Geuzenbond), the Active Club Dietsland (ACD), Wolvenrad and Voorpost.”

This passage appears in Achter de façade (‘Behind the facade’), a report in which the National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security warns of the normalisation of far-right ideas. By adopting a more moderate facade, far-right groups try to spread their ideas more widely.

Remigration

According to the report, this is exactly what the GNSV does. The GNSV presents itself as a student association with a conservative-nationalist worldview, and they regard people in Flanders and in the Netherlands as one. “In that context, it organises ‘nationalist’ gatherings and events for members and ‘right-wing’ students focused on history and culture. As a result, they do not have an extremist profile in public.”

But behind the scenes, the report stresses, it’s clear the group’s actual ideology differs from what the GNSV tells the outside world. “For example, Flemish and Dutch people are seen as one people, but specifically as one ‘white’ ethnic group. Several (core) members of the GNSV also express deeply racist views about Dutch identity. In that context, the GNSV attaches importance to the ‘remigration’ of Dutch and Flemish people with a non-Western migration background.”

According to the report, members of the association are aware of the importance of presenting their ideas as acceptable as possible, in order to appear moderate. “By deliberately appealing to cultural and identity issues, this association is given room on university campuses to recruit members and organize activities. Membership of this group has thereby been normalized, while its underlying ideology and ideological ambitions are in reality right-wing extremist.”

‘This gives the university solid grounds to take measures, including with regard to the Orientation Market’

A university spokesperson calls the AIVD report clear and serious. ‘It is significant that the AIVD has designated the GNSV as a far-right organisation. That provides clarity and gives the university solid grounds to take measures, including with regard to the orientation week market.’

Handing out flyers

In recent years, the GNSV has attended Radboud University’s orientation week market several times with the aim of recruiting new members (see box). This year, associations wanting a stand were supposed to pass a screening. Because that screening would also consider the associations’ norms and values, it was questioned whether the GNSV would pass. Due to what the university called ‘a procedural error’, the screening did not take place and the GNSV was allowed to attend the market – until the evening before the event, when the university announced that the group would not be given a stand for safety reasons, because of a planned demonstration by the Nijmegen Student Encampment.

After the Intromarkt, GNSV chair Daan Meershoek said that he and several members of his association had handed out flyers near the Berchmanianum. At a UGV meeting following the Introduction Market, Rector Magnificus José Sanders said the handing out had probably not taken place at the market itself, since that was prohibited, but elsewhere on campus.

The rector also said that this academic year the Executive Board, together with the participation councils, intends to review the registration procedure for the market. Members of the participation councils have repeatedly pointed out the dangerous ideology of the GNSV to the Executive Board. ‘The entire university community, including us, does not want them (the GNSV, ed.) at the Intromarkt, out of concern for social safety,’ a member of the University Student Council said at a council meeting in late August.