- Far-right populist Geert Wilders has broken through 25 years as a significant — but outsider — presence in Dutch politics to win a decisive victory in Wednesday’s general election.
- Uncertainty remains about whether Wilders will be able to form a coalition with parties that previously vowed not to work with him.
- Wilders wants to cut immigration to the Netherlands to zero, hold a referendum on leaving the EU and ban mosques and the Quran — all pledges he may have to give up in coalition negotiations.
SCHEVENINGEN, NETHERLANDS – NOVEMBER 22: Geert Wilders, Dutch right-wing politician and leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV), reacts to the exit poll and early results that strongly indicate a victory for his party in the Dutch elections on November 22, 2023 in Scheveningen, Netherlands. Dutch voters have gone to the polls today in one of the most tightly contested general elections in recent years. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images).
Carl Court | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Far-right politician Geert Wilders sent shockwaves through the European political landscape as he led his party to a decisive victory in the Netherlands’ general elections.
Only late in the campaign did polls begin to suggest that controversial Wilders, who rails against immigration and espouses a series of Islamophobic policies, could come to power after 25 years in politics.
The result of Wednesday’s election will be concerning both to Brussels — Wilders’ Euroskepticism extends as far as calling…
