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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUgh, Dutch elections
RW nut Geert Wilders is the night's big winner.
Just....ugh
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Ugh, Dutch elections (Original Post)
Laurelin
Nov 2023
OP
I do not recall specifics expect that name rings a bell for big trouble. I thought the Dutch
riversedge
Nov 2023
#1
riversedge
(70,337 posts)1. I do not recall specifics expect that name rings a bell for big trouble. I thought the Dutch
had more brains. damn
comradebillyboy
(10,177 posts)2. A lot of folks believe Europeans are more enlightened
than us but it ain't necessarily so.
Ocelot II
(115,888 posts)3. Sweden is starting to lean a bit to the right these days as well.
Immigration is a major bone of contention there, and it brings out the haters everywhere.
And then there was Germany, which as of the early 20th century had a sophisticated, educated population and had produced some of the greatest writers, scientists, artists and musicians in the world - and we saw what happened there. They have since tried to overcome that history and have mostly succeeded, but neo-Nazis are starting to turn up there as well. "Enlightened" societies do not remain enlightened if demagogues can take power and scare enough people.
comradebillyboy
(10,177 posts)5. We love Western European social welfare but
there's a lot of racism and fascism has always been popular.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,387 posts)6. Islamophobe
Citing irreconcilable differences over the party's position on the accession of Turkey to the European Union, he left the VVD in 2004 to form his own party, the Party for Freedom. Wilders has campaigned to stop what he views as the "Islamisation of the Netherlands". He has compared the Quran to Mein Kampf and has campaigned to have the book banned in the Netherlands.[9][10] He advocates ending immigration from Muslim countries,[9][11] and banning the construction of new mosques.[12] Wilders was a speaker at the Facing Jihad Conference held in Israel in 2008, which discussed the dangers of jihad, and has called for a hard line against what he called "street terror" exerted by minorities in Dutch cities.[13] His controversial 2008 film featuring his views on Islam, Fitna, received international attention and extreme criticism. His party was also sued because content was used in his film without permission.[14] He has been described in the media as populist[15][16][17] and labeled far-right.[18][19][20] He was also described by the media as an Islamophobe.[21][22] Wilders rejects being labeled as far-right and views himself as a right-wing liberal, while saying he does not want to be "linked with the wrong rightist fascist groups".[23] More recently, however, Wilders has worked together with Marine Le Pen of the French National Front, as well as Austria's Freedom Party, Italy's Lega Nord and Belgium's Vlaams Belang.[24][25][26][27]
Geert Wilders has been charged in relation to incitement multiple times. Wilders was first accused of criminally insulting religious and ethnic groups and inciting hatred and discrimination. He was found not guilty in 2011. In 2016, he landed in court again and was found guilty of incitement and encouraging discrimination against Moroccan immigrants to the Netherlands, but faced no punishment.[28] The verdict was later overturned.[29]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geert_Wilders
Geert Wilders has been charged in relation to incitement multiple times. Wilders was first accused of criminally insulting religious and ethnic groups and inciting hatred and discrimination. He was found not guilty in 2011. In 2016, he landed in court again and was found guilty of incitement and encouraging discrimination against Moroccan immigrants to the Netherlands, but faced no punishment.[28] The verdict was later overturned.[29]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geert_Wilders
Veteran anti-Islam populist leader Geert Wilders is heading for a dramatic victory in the the Dutch general election, says an Ipsos exit poll.
After 25 years in the Dutch parliament, his Freedom party is heading for 35 seats, according to the poll, well ahead of his nearest rival, a left-wing alliance.
...
No single party can win enough seats to govern alone, and three big parties behind him have made clear they have no desire to work with Mr Wilders.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67504272
After 25 years in the Dutch parliament, his Freedom party is heading for 35 seats, according to the poll, well ahead of his nearest rival, a left-wing alliance.
...
No single party can win enough seats to govern alone, and three big parties behind him have made clear they have no desire to work with Mr Wilders.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67504272
IcyPeas
(21,910 posts)4. He's the Dutch "trump"
Immigration was the key topic of the campaign and his hardline stance, including closing the borders and deporting illegal immigrants, seemed to have resonated with Dutch voters.
"The Dutch hope that the people can get their country back and that we will ensure that the tsunami of asylum-seekers and immigration is reduced," Wilders said.
Wilders is known as the "Dutch Trump", partly for his swept-back dyed hairstyle that resembles the former US president, but also for his rants against immigrants and Muslims.
From calling Moroccans "scum" to holding competitions for cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, Wilders has built a career from his self-appointed mission to stop an "Islamic invasion" of the West.
"The Dutch hope that the people can get their country back and that we will ensure that the tsunami of asylum-seekers and immigration is reduced," Wilders said.
Wilders is known as the "Dutch Trump", partly for his swept-back dyed hairstyle that resembles the former US president, but also for his rants against immigrants and Muslims.
From calling Moroccans "scum" to holding competitions for cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, Wilders has built a career from his self-appointed mission to stop an "Islamic invasion" of the West.
More:
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231122-far-right-wilders-wins-dutch-election-exit-poll
TheBlackAdder
(28,226 posts)7. Gotta love the hypocrisy of this clip.