Far-right and anti-Islam leader Geert Wilders on Thursday clinched a massive victory in a Dutch election and is likely to form the next ruling coalition and become the next Prime Minister of the Netherlands, in a major shock for Europe.
According to an exit poll, Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV) is set to win 35 seats of out the 150-seat lower house of the Dutch Parliament. The landslide victory that will stun European politics appeared to have taken even the PVV leader by surprise, as he posted a video on platform X to show his jubilation.
According to an updated exit poll, Dilan Yesilgoz, the leader of the centre-right VVD and the successor to outgoing premier Mark Rutte, suffered significant setbacks and is expected to win 24 seats, 10 less than before. This will mark a significant change in direction for the Netherlands after four successive centrist governments.
“The PVV wants to, from a fantastic position with 35 seats that can totally no longer be ignored by any party, cooperate with other parties,” Wilders told cheering supporters at his election celebration at The Hague.
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'. His statements come amid a rising sentiment in the country that EU is impinging on issues of national sovereignty.
Five things about Geert Wilders
- Wilders was born on September 6, 1963, in a conservative household that significantly impacted his perspectives. His political career began with the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), but left it to form his own PVV in 2006 after disagreeing with the previous party's stance on the EU and immigration.
- Wilders' strong anti-Islam stance has not only alienated other politicians but also made him a target for Islamic extremists, as he received countless death threats and received round-the-clock police protection. He has moved from one safe house to another for two decades. He was even barred from entering the UK, when the government said that he posed a threat to 'community harmony and public security".
- Wilders also 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.
- Wilders' political campaign focused on a referendum on the Netherlands' exit from the European Union, a halt on accepting asylum-seekers and migrant pushbacks at the border and a 'de-Islamisation' of the Netherlands by banning Islamic schools, Qurans and mosques'. However, he also pledged not to breach Dutch laws on freedom of religion and expression.
- He is also a strong supporter of Israel and has called for shifting the Embassy of the Netherlands there to Jerusalem and closing the Dutch diplomatic post in Ramallah, which houses the Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas.
What happens now?
Wilders has been a member of the House of Representatives since 1998, first for the center-right People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, where he mentored a young Rutte before quitting the party and setting up his Party for Freedom.
Now, he would have to form a coalition government before he can take the reins of power, which would be a tough task as mainstream politicians are reluctant to join him and his party due to their controversial far-right policies. However, the size of his victory strengthens his position in negotiations.
The PVV leader has called on other parties to constructively engage in coalition talks. Pieter Omtzigt, whose New Social Contract party is set to take 20 seats, said that he would be open for talks. The closest party to Wilders' was an alliance of the center-left Labor Party and Green Left, which was forecast to win 26 seats. However, they denied entering into a coalition with Wilders.
“We will never form a coalition with parties that pretend that asylum seekers are the source of all misery... And in the coming days and weeks, we will increasingly see how difficult, how important, how essential our task is to stand up for the Netherlands where we exclude no one, to stand up for the Netherlands where we embrace everyone to stand up for the Netherlands, where we do not look at what your background is, what your religion is, what your skin colour is,” said Frans Timmermans, the leader of the alliance.
Wilders was congratulated by Hungarian PM Viktor Orban, who agreed with a lot of his policies and implemented harsh measures related to migration and EU institutions. “The winds of change are here! Congratulations,” Orban said on X.
(with inputs from agencies)
