Geert Wilders, Undercurrents in the Netherlands

(Baonghean) - As a key figure in the crucial election held on March 15th in the Netherlands, Geert Wilders is currently one of the most prominent and controversial politicians in the Netherlands and Europe. Although he did not win the recent parliamentary election, Geert Wilders can be considered a "hidden threat" that Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte must confront in order to curb the growing populism in the country.

Controversial figure

Born on September 6, 1963, in the province of Venlo, in southeastern Netherlands bordering Germany, Geert Wilders developed an early interest in politics in the early 1980s. In 1981, he moved to Israel after graduating from high school.

In just two years, he traveled extensively throughout the Middle East and began to develop anti-Islamic views, which later became clearly defined in his political career. However, upon returning to the Netherlands in 1983, he started a job in the health insurance industry.

It wasn't until 1989 that he joined the Liberal Democratic Party (VVD) as an assistant to members of parliament. By this time, his prejudice against Islam had matured, thanks to his experiences in the Middle East, witnessing settlements and tensions with the Palestinians.

Geert Wilders during a televised debate with Prime Minister Mark Rutte on March 14. Photo: Reuters

Geert Wilders was first elected to the Government Office in 1997, when he was elected to the Utrecht city council as a member of the Party for Liberal Democracy (VVD). Just a year later, he was elected to Parliament, where he soon became known for his radical views on Islam.

However, in 2004, he left the Liberal Democratic Party after it declared its support for Türkiye's accession to the European Union (EU). Two years later, he founded the Liberal Party, winning 9 seats in the 2006 general election. His party subsequently grew and secured 24 seats, becoming the third largest party in the Netherlands.

However, this controversial politician ran into trouble in 2008 after he produced a short film called Fitna, which included information about the Quran mixed with footage of Islamic terrorist attacks.

As a result of the film, he was banned from entering the UK and charged by a Dutch court with hate crimes against Muslims. However, after a lengthy trial, the ban on him entering the UK was lifted. But that wasn't the end of it; in December 2016, Wilders was again charged with inciting discrimination for asking a crowd of supporters if they wanted to see "fewer Moroccans in the Netherlands."

Not only has Wilders faced considerable criticism domestically and in European public opinion, but he also appeared on an Al-Qaeda blacklist in 2010. He has also received numerous threats from extremist Islamic forces. Despite this, as the founder and leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV), Wilders has continued to rally anti-Islamist sentiment in the Netherlands.

Will Nexit become a reality?

With his commitment to closing the Dutch borders and mosques, and to taking the Netherlands out of the European Union (EU) – also known as Nexit – if he came to power, Geert Wilders garnered significant voter support in many pre-election polls.

These are voters who are disillusioned with the socio-economic situation in the Netherlands and skeptical about European integration. This was evident in the fact that, just before the crucial election, 60% of the 12.9 million voters were still undecided about which of the 28 participating parties to vote for.

Supporters of Geert Wilders in Spijkenisse, near Rotterdam, last month. Photo: AP

In reality, the Netherlands achieved the highest growth rate in the Eurozone in 2016. However, Dutch middle-class and working-class voters still feel they have endured too many austerity measures in recent years. Furthermore, while Dutch citizens may support the current government for its achievements in governing and managing the country, they remain dissatisfied with their current quality of life.

Understanding this sentiment, coupled with the rising wave of populist support in Europe, Geert Wilders and his Freedom Party hoped to achieve something historic. However, it seems that the power of the controversial politician Geert Wilders is not yet strong enough to turn the majority of Dutch voters against Prime Minister Mark Rutte's ruling party.

The results of the recent election show that Prime Minister Mark Rutte's Party for Freedom and Democracy won, although the number of seats was lower than in the 2012 election. According to analysts, the Dutch people are not yet ready to hand over power to the right wing, but rather want to create a fresh wave in Dutch political life.

For his part, in a post-election statement, Geert Wilders said his party was ready to cooperate with the new Dutch government if requested. However, this certainly does not mean that populist ideology has completely died out in the Netherlands. The Brexit referendum in the UK has shown that any scenario is possible and any risk is present in the Netherlands. Therefore, the "undercurrent of Geert Wilders' populism" will remain a challenge that the Dutch government cannot ignore.

Phuong Hoa