On 22nd November (local time), the exit polls in the Netherlands showed that Geert Wilders’ conservative Party for Freedom or Partij voor de Vrijheid (PVV) is set to become the largest party in the Dutch parliament. The results are surprising for the region as Wilders’ party is known for anti-Islamist views. The victory has the potential to have ripple effects across Europe. The party is expected to secure 35 seats, which will be more than double its 2021 tally. However, it is unclear if PVV will be able to form a coalition with a working majority to form a government.
35!!!!!!
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) November 22, 2023
PVV GROOTSTE PARTIJ ❤️ pic.twitter.com/oMANVYvGjy
Notably, PVV has called for a ban on mosques, the Quran and Islamic headscarves or Hijab in government buildings. The party is now on the path to becoming the largest party in the 150-seat parliament. Other Right Wing European leaders, including Viktor Orbán, Marine Le Pen, Matteo Salvini, and Germany’s AfD, have congratulated PVV on the win. However, the clouds over the government formation are yet to clear as the heads of the three major Dutch parties expressed unwillingness to join a PVV-led cabinet.
Interestingly, the formation of a government in the Netherlands may not happen before spring. Following the 2021 elections, the 4-party coalition took 271 days to come to an agreement. Experts believe that this time, it may take even longer to get a new Prime Minister for the country. Till that time, the incumbent, Mark Rutte, will act as caretaker PM. The previous coalition was dissolved due to disagreements over migration and other critical issues.
Who is Geert Wilders?
Geert Wilders is a Right Wing Dutch politician who is known for his anti-Islam stand. Wilders, who has been under police protection since 2004, has been surrounded by controversies for his statements like calling Moroccans “scum”.
Wilders has been active in Dutch politics for 25 years without holding any office. Born on 6th September 1963 in Venlo, Netherlands, he served as a member of the Dutch House of Representatives from 1998 and as a leader of the PVV from 2006.
Wilders was born into a middle-class family. He lived in Israel from 1981 to 1983 and travelled across the Middle East. During that period, he started to form anti-Islamist views that became the basis of his political career.
Wilders was convicted of discrimination against Moroccans over raising slogans during a campaign rally in 2014. In 2021, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands upheld his conviction. Wilders called it a “witch hunt” against him, resulting from a broken legal system.
Over the time, Wilders toned down some of his views. However, he continued with his strict anti-immigration, Dutch-first approach, which increased his popularity throughout the elections.
In October 2022, Wilders supported former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma after Islamists hounded her for her remarks during a debate on Times Now.
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.
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) October 9, 2022
#NupurSharma #India #Islam pic.twitter.com/kVkQjEr3RN
In a post on X, he wrote, “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 also raised the matter of violence against Hindus and urged the Dutch government to clear its stand.
