Amsterdam: Firebrand anti-Islam leader Geert Wilders's Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV) has reached a coalition deal with three other party leaders on Thursday to form the next government in the Netherlands, capping a half year of tumultuous negotiations that have yet to decide who will become the next Dutch Prime Minister. Despite seeking a massive victory in the Dutch elections in November last year, Wilders acknowledged that he would not be able to succeed Mark Rutte as PM after long delays in reaching a coalition deal.
The latest development will push the incoming Dutch government to the hard right, in a major setback for other European nations. Wilders has been called the 'Donald Trump of Netherlands' for his populist policies, fiery tongue and blonde hair. Widely known for his anti-Islam stance, Wilders has described Islam as a "fascist ideology" and even called for banning the Quran and shutting mosques in the Netherlands. He is also a critic of the European Union (EU) and open immigration policies, advocating the Netherlands' exit from the bloc as part of 'Nexit'.
Wilders once supported the suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nupur Sharma for her infamous 'Prophet Mohammad' remark that triggered outrage among Muslims. "Nupur Sharma is a hero who spoke nothing but the truth. The whole world should be proud of her. She deserves the Nobel Prize. And India is a Hindu nation, the Indian government is obliged to strongly defend Hindus against Islamic hate and violence," he said on X, then known as Twitter.
'Opting out' of EU migration system
Wilders and three other party leaders agreed on a 26-page "Hope, courage and pride” agreement that introduces strict measures on asylum seekers, scraps family reunification for refugees and seeks to reduce the number of international students studying in the country. It also establishes rules to deport people who do not possess valid residence permit, by force if necessary.
This would become the most right-wing government in the Netherlands in decades, almost six months after the major election victory. It advocates an "opt out clause" for European asylum and migration policies will be submitted as soon as possible to the European Commission. Labour migration will also be curbed, and admittance of foreign students to Dutch universities will become stricter, the parties said.
Wilders cried victory on what he called “a historic day”, claiming he had made sure the three other coalition parties accepted the core of his programme. "The strictest asylum policy ever... The Dutch back at No. 1," he asserted, insisting his campaign theme how immigrants and asylum seekers had all too often been granted preferential treatment over others.
The deal brings together Wilders' PVV with outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte's centre-right People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), the new NSC party and farmers' protest party BBB in a coalition with a strong majority of 88 seats in the 150-seat Lower House. Now, an independent intermediary will now be tasked with forming the cabinet of ministers, a process that is expected to take at least another month.
Uncertainties loom over next Dutch PM
It is still unclear who will become the next Dutch Prime Minister as Wilders in March vowed to forego the role in order to get his prospective government partners to the negotiating table. The parties still have to agree on a prime minister, who is expected to be a technocrat from outside the party structures.
Speculation has centred on Ronald Plasterk, from the Labour Party, who shot back to prominence this year when he became the first “scout” to hold talks with political leaders about possible coalitions. Wilders has not announced yet who he will put forward for the top job. If formed, the coalition could be "inherently unstable" due to inexperienced ministers, or a lack of political connections within the new parties.
Wilders rode a wave of anti-immigration and anti-establishment sentiment to his largest electoral win, blaming a housing shortage on flows of asylum seekers. However, the breakthrough in the discussions was reached in March as the firebrand leader toned down anti-EU and anti-Islam rhetoric, and dropped opposition to all military support for Ukraine.
The new government also said it will keep up political and military support to Ukraine and will make it legally binding to spend at least 2 per cent of Dutch gross domestic product on defence, in line with NATO agreements. It is also expected to continue with existing plans to combat climate change, including continuing to pay for a climate change fund established last year.
(with inputs from agencies)
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