Politics: Anti-Islamist, anti-EU leader set to win a majority in the Netherlands
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: The much-maligned nationalist, far-right is now trouncing the pseudo-secular, illiberal, and anti-democratic political outfits in the West.
A day after nationalistic Javier Milei won the Presidency in Argentina, the Netherlands elections have produced its own far-right leader.
Populist Dutch leader Geert Wilders, who backed India’s controversial BJP leader Nupur Sharma and is known for his anti-Islam and anti-European Union views, is set to win a majority in the Netherlands parliamentary elections.
The media reported on Thursday that Wilders, who vowed the halt immigration, defied predictions and his Freedom Party (PVV) was projected to win 35 out of 150 seats, according to the exit polls.
The party of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose coalition government collapsed in July and resulted in the snap election, was in third place at 23 seats, according to the exit polls. When all votes are counted, it would officially mark the end of Rutte’s 13-year rule.
Exit polls in the Netherlands are generally reliable with a margin of error of roughly two seats, the reports said.
During a TV show in 2022, Wilders defended Nupur Sharma for her alleged comments on Prophet Mohammad. Her remarks drew condemnation from the Gulf countries. Sharma had made those remarks in connection with the brutal murder of a tailor in Rajasthan’s Udaipur by two Muslim men.
In an interview with India Today TV in 2022, Wilders criticized the statement released by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) slamming India after Sharma’s alleged remarks.
“I would say look at yourself in the mirror before you decide what you think about India or any other country. The OIC released a declaration about human rights and all these nations are attacking India. They put Sharia law above democracy and human rights.”
In fact, the OIC countries are the most intolerant nations having the worst records on human rights, he said.
“If you are a minority in those countries, you are persecuted and taken to jail. You lose freedom. India is a sovereign nation. We should not allow being lectured by them,” he added.
Wilders’ anti-Islam views resulted in death threats forcing him to live under a blanket of heavy police protection.
In a victory speech after the exit polls, Wilders said he would bring an end to a “tsunami of asylum and immigration.”
A video posted on X, formerly Twitter, showed a surprised and jubilant Wilders celebrating as the TV flashed his party getting the most number of seats as per the exit polls. “35. FVV, the largest party,” he wrote in Dutch while referring to his far-right party.
During campaigning, Wilders toned down his usual anti-Islam rhetoric and focused more on the Dutch people’s concerns about the cost of living and overburdened health infrastructure.
