Government - Netherlands on a radical-right course
Unbelievable, Geert Wilders runs his hand through his platinum-blond dyed hair and performs a little dance of joy. This was on November 22nd. The radical-right populist (60) and his Freedom Party (PVV) were the strongest force in the Dutch parliamentary elections. After about 20 years in opposition, the Far-Right was facing his great triumph: he could now govern.
Exactly seven months later, the coalition of Wilders' Anti-Islam Party with three other right-wing parties comes together. On Monday, the government convenes for its constituent session, and on Tuesday, it will be sworn in by King Willem-Alexander.
"The sun will shine again in the Netherlands"
"We are writing history today," Wilders had said during the presentation of the coalition agreement. "The sun will shine again in the Netherlands."
But the right-wing shift will have consequences for the country with a long tradition of tolerance for minorities. This loose country by the North Sea has, for centuries, sought consensus as a way of life. Radical opinions are frowned upon. However, the country is now facing an experiment with significant risks.
The new alliance is not exactly stable, as the laborious negotiations have shown. Only the liberal-right VVD, led by the former Prime Minister Mark Rutte, has any government experience. New to the scene are the Middle-Right Party NSC and the populist Farmers Party BBB, born from the massive farmers' protests of recent years. VVD and NSC reluctantly agreed to the coalition with Wilders.
For this, Wilders had to bend. He put many of his demands on ice - such as the Koran ban and Nexit, the Dutch exit from the EU. He even gave up the position of Prime Minister. This will now be taken over by the party-less former civil servant Dick Schoof.
But how permanent is Wilders' change?
The moderate parties insisted on a joint declaration of respect for the rule of law. All four parties have pledged to uphold it. However, that the commitment to the Constitution is not self-evident is a worrying sign for many.
The concerns of the coalition partners grew even greater when the names of the future ministers and state secretaries of the PVV were made known. Many bristled at the prospect of ministers and state secretaries who had previously made themselves known with racist and extremist statements.
For example, Marjolein Faber, the new Asylum Minister. She is most controversially known for her extreme views on Islam and migration. She has long advocated the "Umvolkungs" theory. With this Nazi term, right-wing extremists describe the alleged plan of an elite to exchange the population through migration. The security services speak of a highly dangerous conspiracy theory.
Under pressure from the coalition partners, there was a sudden turnaround earlier this week: Faber distanced herself from the statements on population exchange during a parliamentary hearing. "I said that as an opposition politician. But as a minister, I will behave accordingly, as is fitting for a minister." However, the opposition has serious doubts about her sincerity. After all, she also confirmed that migration poses a "very alarming demographic development."
Doubts exist regarding the competence of radical-right government members. Hardly any of them have experience in leading positions. Among them is a former rat exterminator and an employee of an extremist TV broadcaster.
"Wilders wants to go it alone, he wants total control"
For the renowned columnist of "Volkskrant," Sheila Sitalsing, it is clear: "Geert Wilders can't do it and doesn't want to." For over 20 years, he has not been able to build a stable network of capable people around himself. Now, it is problematic that he doesn't have a normal party, he is the only member. "Wilders wants to go it alone, he wants total control," Sitalsing says.
The question is: How will he position himself in the future? For the past 20 years, he has been sitting in the Second Chamber and provoking from the opposition. It is hard to imagine that he will hold back. Will the new Prime Minister Schoof withstand the pressure or will he let himself be directed like a marionette by Wilders?
The first test for the 67-year-old Schoof is the government program. So far, there is only a coalition agreement, in which the plans are roughly sketched out. The new government needs to work out the details. However, the parties are far apart on the issues. They are only in agreement on a drastic reduction of immigration.
"We will put it on the table in Brussels"
Wilders' voters expect a radical change: Fewer asylum seekers, fewer migrants, fewer environmental regulations for farmers, more money in their wallets, more housing. Wilders promised "the toughest asylum policy that has ever existed." And the head of the Farmers' Party, Caroline van der Plas, announced: "We will put it on the table in Brussels."
However, it is already clear that the new government will have a hard time delivering: Due to international treaties, due to the fact that the borders cannot be closed, or simply because it is too expensive.
Even the right-wing newspaper "De Telegraaf" has doubts about this government's ability to last until Christmas. "Mutual distrust and lack of respect" was the assessment of Chief Commentator Wouter de Winter. "The new government needs to be sworn in, but already everything points to the fact that both VVD and NSC know that they will only be there for a short time."
However, what then? Wilders' moderate partners fear new elections. The populist would shift the blame for failure onto his partners and Europe. The possible consequence: The anger of the citizens would grow even greater, and Wilders' PVV would become even stronger. This is already evident in the polls.
- The upcoming government in the Netherlands, led by Geert Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV), will be sworn in by King Willem-Alexander following the constituent session.
- The right-wing shift in the Netherlands brings concerns for the country's long-standing tradition of tolerance towards minorities, as the populist PVV was the strongest force in the parliamentary election.
- The new government in the Netherlands consists of Wilders' PVV, VVD led by Mark Rutte, Middle-Right Party NSC, and the populist Farmers Party BBB.
- The new alliance faces stability issues, as only the VVD has government experience, with the NSC and BBB joining the coalition recently due to farmers' protests.
- The EU is a significant talking point in the new government's domestic policy, as the Farmers' Party BBB has proposed putting EU regulations on the table in Brussels for negotiation.
- Geert Wilders had to abandon some of his controversial demands, such as the Koran ban and Nexit, as a concession to his coalition partners for their agreement to form the government.
- Marjolein Faber, the new Asylum Minister of the PVV, is a subject of controversy due to her past extreme views on Islam and migration, including advocating for the Umvolkungs theory.
- Doubts surround the competence of the radical-right government members, with most of them lacking experience in leadership positions, such as a former rat exterminator and an employee of an extremist TV broadcaster.
