Geert Wilders to enter Dutch government after support for anti-Islamic party triples

Source: The Telegraph

Geert Wilders is on course to become a kingmaker for a new coalition government in the Netherlands after his anti-Islamic Freedom Party nearly tripled its representation in the Dutch parliament in Wednesday's elections.

The far-Right Dutch politician's controversial PVV party came third, behind Labour and the victorious Liberals.

PVV increased its number of MPs from nine to 24 after campaigning against immigration, for a tax on Muslim headscarves, a ban on the Koran and against the building of new mosques.

"We would love to govern," Mr Wilders said. "1.5 million people voted for us and our plans for more safety, less immigration and less Islam. We are the big winner and they cannot ignore us. We want to be taken seriously."


Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/netherlands/7818281/Geert-Wilders-to-enter-Dutch-government-after-support-for-anti-Islamic-party-triples.html

:crazy:

If your economy falls (And it probably will under these guys), don't worry, Wilders will just say the Muslims did it!

This is the Netherlands we are talking about here. Isn't this country often cited right here on DU as a model of social democracy and tolerance?

The far right has 24 MP's, is the 3rd largest party and may be in a ruling coalition? Geert Wilders apparently doesn't even have to try to hide his hatred and xenophobia.

This right wing PVV party wants to actually ban the Koran, the building of new mosques, etc, etc. And this is supposed to be an enlightened nation we're supposed to look up to?

Current predicted allocation of the 150 parliamentary seats:

31 VVD (conservative liberals)
30 PvdA (Labour)
24 PVV (Wilders' party)
21 CDA (Christian-Democrats)
15 SP (former communists)
10 GL (Greens)
10 D'66 (Liberal Democrats)
5 CU (Conservative Christian-Democrats)
2 SGP (former theocrats)
2 PvdD (Animal Party)

A coalition would have a viable chance if it commands a majority in both the parliament (that is: 76 seats) and the senate (38).

A coalition of VVD, PVV, and CDA, would command just the bare minimum of 76 seats in parliament. One ill member of parliament and your bill can be voted down. One dissenting voice and your majority is gone forever. In the bosom of the PVV is brewing a row between Wilders and his second man, Hero Brinkman. This coalition would be unstable from day one, and its chances of sitting for a full four-year term are extremely limited.

To make matters worse, this coalition would have NO majority in the senate: the PVV does not have a single senator, and VVD and CDA together are several seats short of 38. So for all Mr Wilders' shameless overtures to the VVD, his chances of getting into government are rather dismal - and the role of king-maker is not his, for now.

The only other option of a three-party government would be VVD, PvdA, and CDA (82 seats, a safe majority - it would also have a formidable majority in the senate). A third government wth a reasonable chance of sitting a full four-year term (and majorities in both chambers) would be VVD, PvdA, GL, and D'66.

And this means that the role of king-maker is non-existent. The VVD will get to nominate the prime-minister anyway, as it is needed in all government composition options. And with the PvdA needed in all viable option as well, the role of, ehm, knight-maker (?) will fall to the leader of the PvdA, Job Cohen.

Just one more thing: this is the worst election result ever. Never before was the parliament so devided that even the largest party commanded only 31 seats.

I would be fine with "less religion" and leave it at that. Of course fundamentalism of any stripe is a threat to social progress. We cannot ignore the problem of Islamic fundamentalism, but we must first and foremost be anti-racists and anti-xenophobes.

The left cannot fail to address the valid concerns of those who wish to maintain a secular society.

It's not about secularism to him, it's specifically about getting rid of Muslims.