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Dutch anti-Islam leader is major winner in polls
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Dutch anti-Islam leader is major winner in polls
Reed Stevenson and Aaron Gray-Block
Wed Mar 3, 2010 10:02pm EST
A crowd of protesters gather behind police barriers to voice support for right-wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders outside the court in Amsterdam, where Wilders appeared to be charged with inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims, January 20, 2010.
Credit: Reuters/Toussaint Kluiters/United Photos
AMSTERDAM/THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Dutch anti-Islamist leader Geert Wilders scored major gains in local authority polls Thursday, making him a serious challenger for power in a June national election, preliminary results showed.
World
In the first test of public opinion since the collapse of Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende's coalition government last month, Wilders's Freedom Party (PVV) led in the city of Almere and was second in The Hague.
The results came on top of an opinion poll showing that the PVV, which campaigns against Muslim immigration as its main platform, would win the most seats -- 27 in the 150-member Dutch parliament -- in the June 9 election.
That would make it tough for Balkenende's Christian Democrats, projected to win one seat less, to forge a strong coalition without Wilders. Months of talks between parties, and the resulting policy vacuum, could threaten a fragile economic recovery and cast doubt on the scope of planned budget cuts.
The popularity of Wilders, who compares Islam to fascism and the Koran to Adolf Hitler's book "Mein Kampf," has dented the image of the Netherlands as a country that has often portrayed itself in the past as a bastion of tolerance.
The PVV has been pitching its policies to a nation of 16 million that is turning increasingly inward as the economy struggles and social tensions rise. There are nearly 1 million Muslims in the Netherlands.
"The leftist elite still believes in multi-culturalism, coddling criminals, a European super-state and high taxes," Wilders told cheering supporters at a rally in Almere after polling ended Wednesday.
"But the rest of the Netherlands thinks differently. That silent majority now has a voice," he said.
Andre Krouwel, professor of political science at Vrije University in Amsterdam, said: "You can see there's a lot of discontent in the electorate. Clearly Wilders is going to use these results as a stepping stone for national elections."
Balkenende, now heading a caretaker government, saw his coalition collapse on February 20 after his center-right Christian Democrats failed to persuade their Labor Party partners to extend the Netherlands' military mission in Afghanistan.
He has said the nearly 2,000 Dutch troops serving with NATO in Afghanistan were now likely to withdraw this year as planned.
The collapse was the fourth for a cabinet led by Balkenende in eight years.
In Almere, the PVV won 21 percent of the vote to Labour's 18 percent, the preliminary results showed. In The Hague, the PVV had 8 seats -- second to Labor with 10 seats. Experts put turnout in the local elections at 56 percent.
Labor, led by former Deputy Prime Minister Wouter Bos, appeared to have benefited from its stance over Afghanistan.
"The Labor Party is back," Bos told supporters. "We were declared dead and buried, but with our struggle, humility and ideals we have come back."
Wilders, who has faced death threats, was under tight security at his rally Wednesday.
People had to pass through metal detectors and security officers patted everyone down for concealed weapons.
"There are many Muslims who want to take part in the community, but there is a percentage who want to make problems," said bus driver Theo Verstappen, 53.
"Those who make problems are not being dealt with properly. It's not too much to ask that people who come here share our values."
(Additional reporting by Ben Berkowitz, Gilbert Kreijger and Harro ten Wolde)
World
Comments
See All Comments (5) | Post Comment
Mar 04, 2010 1:18am EST
Dear lars007 all you do is search for news regarding Muslims in reuters website and comment bitterly with references to other websites?
mustafapasha
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Mar 04, 2010 1:24am EST
lars007 is the real fascist.
mustafaspeaks
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Mar 04, 2010 1:57am EST
mustafaspeaks
are you pretending to be obtuse???
thought so,,,
lars007
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Mar 04, 2010 2:19am EST
GEERT Wilders is a Hero , NOT a Criminal!!
Geert Wilders is the Original Freedom Fighter.
Anyone else over there fighting for freedom – if they are not fighting with Wilders, doesn’t know the true definition of it.
amwiser
Report As Abusive
Mar 04, 2010 2:20am EST
non-muslims need to remember what it was like under fascious nazis germany,,,
cuz fascious nazi terrorislam will be worse,,,
the UN should charge muslims with inciting hatred and discrimination against non-muslims,,, and crimes against humanity,,,
ummmm when will islam ban slavery??? when will islam pay reparations for 1400 years of slavery and stealling non-muslim land???
non-muslims need to demand reparations through the UN from the muslim slavers,,,
lars007
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