Geert Wilders, a populist politician with far-right views and an anti-Islam stance, secures a significant victory in the Netherlands’ elections.
Geert Wilders, a populist politician known for his anti-Islam views, achieved a significant win in the Dutch elections with a nearly complete vote count on Thursday. This unexpected shift to the far-right is a major change for a country that was once celebrated for its acceptance and openness. The impact of this outcome will be felt throughout Europe.
The prevalence of far-right ideology is increasing.
This puts Wilders at the forefront of discussions for creating the next ruling coalition and potentially making him the first far-right prime minister of the Netherlands.
After almost all votes were tallied, it was projected that Wilders’ Party for Freedom would secure 37 out of 150 seats in the lower house of parliament. This was two more seats than initially predicted by an exit poll on Wednesday night and more than double the 17 seats they won in the previous election.
Wilders exclaimed joyfully, “I had to pinch my arm!”
Peter Boer/Bloomberg/Getty
On Thursday, political parties were scheduled to have individual meetings to talk about the results. This will likely be followed by a difficult task of creating a new governing coalition, which is set to commence on Friday.
Exiting the EU, a complete stop to accepting refugees and immigrants and preventing them from entering the Netherlands.
The text urges for the Netherlands to be “de-Islamized.” The speaker states their opposition to mosques and Islamic schools in the country, though they have shown less extreme views on Islam during this election compared to previous ones.
Instead, his success appears to be a result of his efforts to control immigration, which was the reason for the previous government coalition’s resignation in July. He also aims to address problems such as the high cost of living and lack of housing.
The voters expressed their frustration, stating “We are tired of this. It makes us physically ill,” he declared. He stated that he is determined to put an end to the “flood of asylum seekers,” which was a major focus of his campaign.
Congress is possibly contemplating a revision of their policies regarding asylum, in addition to providing financial support for Israel and Ukraine.
Wilders declared that the Dutch will once again hold the top spot and emphasized the importance of the people reclaiming their nation.
However, Wilders, who has previously been compared to Donald Trump in the Dutch political scene, must first establish a coalition government before he is able to assume leadership.
It may prove challenging for him and his party to form alliances with mainstream parties, but his resounding victory gives him more leverage in potential negotiations.
Wilders urged other parties to actively participate in discussions for forming a coalition. Pieter Omtzigt, a former member of the centrist Christian Democratic party who founded his own New Social Contract party in a mere three months and secured 20 seats, stated his willingness to engage in talks.
The party most aligned with Wilders in the election was a coalition of the center-left Labor Party and Green Left, predicted to secure 25 seats. However, its leader Frans Timmermans emphasized that Wilders should not expect to form a coalition with them.
Timmermans declared that Dutch democracy will be protected, and that his party will not join forces with groups that falsely blame asylum seekers for all problems.
34-year-old’s first win
The momentous triumph occurred 12 months following the initial victory of the 34-year-old.
Giorgia Meloni, the Italian Premier, has emerged victorious.
The roots of Brothers of Italy can be traced back to the nostalgia for fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. However, Meloni’s stance on various issues has softened over time, making her the more acceptable representative of the hard right in the EU.
Wilders was frequently outspoken in his criticism of Islam, the EU, and immigrants, which garnered him support but never enough to secure a position of power in a country known for its cooperative political system.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who boasts of turning Hungary into an “illiberal” state amid a “clash of civilizations” and has similarly harsh stances on migration and EU institutions, was quick to congratulate Wilders. “The winds of change are here! Congratulations,” Orban said.
CBS Reports on the Formation of a Fresh Conservative Alliance at 22:35.
In the last weeks of his campaign, Wilders slightly changed his position and promised to be a prime minister for all Dutch citizens. This earned him the nickname “Geert Milders.”
The election was triggered when the fourth and final coalition of the previous Prime Minister Mark Rutte stepped down in July, following their inability to reach a consensus on immigration control measures.
Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, a former refugee from Turkey, took over for Rutte. She had the potential to be the first female prime minister of the country if her party had received the most votes. However, it was projected to lose 10 seats and end up with a total of 24.
France, voters have been turning away from traditional parties in favor of new, often populist movements.
The outcome marks the most recent development in a string of elections that have been transforming the political landscape in Europe. Across countries such as Slovakia, Spain, Germany, and France, citizens have been rejecting established parties and showing support for emerging, often populist, groups.Poland
In certain EU countries, there was success for populist and far-right parties while there were setbacks in others.
Source: cbsnews.com