In a decisive victory, far-right and anti-Islam leader Geert Wilders secured a substantial win in the Dutch election on Thursday, positioning himself to potentially lead the next ruling coalition and become the Netherlands' next Prime Minister. Wilders' triumph has not only shaken Dutch politics but is expected to reverberate across Europe.
His PVV (Freedom Party) clinched 37 seats in parliament, marking a significant increase from the last election. However, to fulfil his pledge to be the "prime minister for everyone," Wilders will need to negotiate with other parties to form a coalition. His target is 76 seats in the 150-seat parliament.
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A Wilders victory holds implications for Europe, given the Netherlands' status as one of the founding members of the European Union.
Despite advocating for a "Nexit" referendum to leave the EU, Wilders acknowledges the lack of national sentiment for such a move. Convincing potential coalition partners to support this stance will be a formidable challenge.
In his victory address following the exit polls, Wilders vowed to bring an end to the "tsunami of asylum and immigration."
A video posted on X 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.
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Wilders, known for his anti-Islam views, has faced death threats, necessitating heavy police protection in recent years. He has previously sparked controversy by labelling Prophet Muhammad a "paedophile" and referring to Islam as a "fascist ideology" and a "backward religion." His advocacy extends to the banning of mosques and the Quran in the Netherlands.
Last year, Wilders expressed support for BJP leader Nupur Sharma in the wake of her remarks on Prophet Muhammad during a TV debate. He urged resistance against Islamic terrorists, stating, "Never give in to Islamic terrorists like Al-Qaida, they represent barbarism. The whole Indian nation should rally around Nupur Sharma now and support her. Al Qaeda and the Taliban put me on their hitlist years ago. One lesson: never bow to terrorists. Never!"
