[1/2]Supporters of Dutch far-right politician and leader of the PVV party Geert Wilders react to the election poll and the first results of the Dutch general election in The Hague, Netherlands, November 22, 2023. Portal/Yves Herman Acquire Rights
- The right-wing extremist Wilders is in the lead in the elections in the Netherlands
- Eurosceptics welcome the victory as a sign that Europe is changing
- Muslim groups raise concerns
AMSTERDAM, Nov 23 (Portal) – Dutch anti-EU right-wing populist Geert Wilders will begin searching for coalition partners on Thursday after a massive election victory that will have far-reaching repercussions in the Netherlands and Europe.
A fan of Hungary’s eurosceptic Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the vocally Islamophobic Wilders has vowed to stop all immigration, cut Dutch payments to the European Union and block the entry of all new members, including Ukraine.
His Freedom Party (PVV) exceeded all forecasts, winning 37 of 150 seats, well ahead of 25 for a joint Labor-Green vote and 24 for outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s conservative People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD).
“The Rutte era ends with a right-wing populist uprising that shakes (The Hague) to its foundations,” said the Dutch center-right daily NRC.
A coalition of the Freedom Party VVD and the NSC party of centrist MP Pieter Omtzigt would have a combined 81 seats, which would be the most obvious combination but will likely require months of difficult talks.
None of the parties with which Wilders could form a government share his anti-EU ideas.
“I am confident we can reach an agreement,” he said in his victory speech late Wednesday. “We want to govern and… we will govern.”
Wilders’ victory is a warning sign for mainstream parties across Europe ahead of next June’s European Parliament elections, which are likely to feature the same issues as the Dutch election: immigration, the cost of living and climate change.
“NEW EUROPE”?
“The Netherlands is not France,” French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire quickly responded, acknowledging that the Dutch elections “showed the fears that are emerging in Europe” about immigration and the economy, as well as the need for governments to serve citizens Showing that they are pursuing their policies is bearing fruit.
Last month’s elections in Poland, won by a group of pro-European parties against the nationalist Law and Justice party (PiS), certainly show that not all countries in the region are leaning to the right.
But Italy’s deputy prime minister and leader of the far-right League Matteo Salvini said the Dutch vote showed that “a new Europe is possible.”
Last year, Italy formed its most right-wing government since World War II following Giorgia Meloni’s election victory.
Wilders’ victory comes two months after the return to power in Slovakia of equally anti-EU populist Robert Fico, who has promised to end military aid to Ukraine and cut immigration.
“The wind of change is here!” said Orban.
Wilders has repeatedly said the Netherlands should stop supplying weapons to Ukraine, saying the country needs the weapons to defend itself.
“We have to find ways to live up to the hopes of our voters and get the Dutch back to number one,” said Wilders.
After his victory he said: “The Netherlands will be returned to the Dutch, the asylum tsunami and migration will be curbed.”
WORRIES
Islamic and Moroccan organizations expressed concerns about Wilders’ victory. Muslims make up about 5% of the population.
“The distress and fear are enormous,” Habib el Kaddouri, head of an organization representing Dutch Moroccans, told Dutch news agency ANP. “We are afraid that he will portray us as second-class citizens.”
All eyes will now turn to Wilder’s potential government partners, who had expressed serious doubts about working with him during the campaign but have now become less clear after his victory.
Wilders and his party were never in government.
“We are available to govern,” said Omtzigt from the NSC party. “This is a difficult result. We will discuss on Thursday how we can best contribute to this.”
VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz, who said earlier this week her party would not join a Wilders-led government, said it was now up to the winner to show they could secure a majority.
“We are not in a position to take the lead,” she said.
The parties will meet on their side on Thursday to discuss what to do next. Party leaders will meet on Friday to decide on an “explorer,” a political outsider who will hear from each party about what options they see and prefer in coalition negotiations.
Reporting by Bart Meijer, Charlotte van Campenhout, Anthony Deutsch; Additional reporting by Alvise Armellini, Dominique Vidalon, Sudip Kar-Gupta; Writing by Ingrid Melander; Edited by Bernadette Baum and Toby Chopra
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