Opinion

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Cover up

Friday 26 February 2010

Geert Wilders has no intention of letting the PVV take a leading role in the new city councils in the Hague and Almere, writes Robin Pascoe

Geert Wilders' latest brainwave to solve the country's ills – a headscarf ban in all government-funded buildings and insitutions – highlights just how cynical the PVV leader actually is about politics.

After limiting his party's exposure in the local elections to Almere and the Hague – carefully chosen for maximum impact – he now says a headscarf ban will be very important in the negotiations to form governing coalitions in the two cities.

Only a headscarf ban, mind you. Other displays of religious affiliation such as a Jewish skull cap will be permitted because they are symbols of our culture.

Wigs

(He did not mention the wigs worn by Jewish women who are forced to shave their heads to make sure no-one sees their hair, but there you go.)

In other words, no headscarf ban, no PVV in local government.

It is, of course, a very sensible move. Wilders knows very well that no other party will agree to such plainly discriminatory idea, so there is no danger that the PVV will actually end up helping to run the show in either place.

This means the PVV will be able to sit on the sidelines, moaning about left-wing elites keeping it out of power.

Media scrutiny

There will be no council executives to be exposed to local media scrutiny. We should not forget the PVV is only contesting two cities because it cannot find enough suitable candidates.

Wilders is well aware of the importance of having articulate public figures who know to phrase a soundbite and when to shut up. He can't risk having any loose canons sounding off about immigrants and deportations before the national vote on June 9.

After all, if Wilders really wanted to help run the Hague and Almere he would have chosen something quite different to take a stand on. Even his street commando idea could have been dressed up as something else to make it more palatable to the other parties.

Pensions

On a national level, however, it may be very different. Wilders told the Telegraaf just a day after the government fell that keeping the state pension age 65 would be crucial in any national coalition talks. Not headscarves in government buildings.

And, he said, he recognises that the party will have to make compromises if it wants to be taken seriously.

After all, compromise is central to the Dutch coalition formation process. And the way the polls are the moment, that is going to be a painfully long affair.

In the meantime, the people of Almere and the Hague have got until March 3 to make up their minds who to vote for. Knowing full well that the chance of the PVV actually ending up able to do anything is zero.

Robin Pascoe is a journalist with DutchNews.nl