Geert Wilders’ right-wing extremists score a major victory in the Dutch general election.
The leader of the Right-wing extremist Freedom Party (PVV) Geert Wilders will begin searching for coalition partners on Thursday, following an election victory that is expected to have significant implications for the Netherlands and Europe.
Geert Wilders, a self-proclaimed admirer of the very conservative Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has been under police protection for several years because of his inflammatory positions on Islam, which have earned him death threats. With 98% of the votes counted, theThe PVV won 37 of 150 seatswell ahead of the 25 seats allocated to the Labor-Green alliance led by former EU Commissioner Frans Timmermans and the 24 seats to the Liberal Party (VVD) of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
“The Rutte era ends with a right-wing populist uprising that shakes (The Hague) to its foundations. The historic election victory that the PVV achieved on Wednesday exceeded all expectations,” commented the center-right Dutch daily NRC.
A coalition The Freedom Party, the VVD and centrist Pieter Omtzigt’s New Social Contract (NSC) party would have 81 seats, which would be the most obvious combination, but it could be months away difficult negotiations. None of the parties with which he could form a government share his Anti-EU ideas. “We are ready to govern,” said Pieter Omtzigt. “It 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 that her party would not join a government led by Geert Wilders, said it was now up to her to show she could secure a majority. “We are not fit to run the government,” she added.
Geert Wilders’ victory is coming two months after the return of populist Robert Fico to power in Slovakia, also hostile to the EU, which has promised to end military aid to Ukraine and reduce immigration. The parties are scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss further developments.