Party watch: Geert Wilders says no to immigration and the EU
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The Netherlands goes to the polls on November 22 to elect a new government. The PVV is currently in fourth place and Geert Wilders says this time he really wants to be in government. But of the main contenders so far, only the VVD has said it would not rule out a coalition with the far right party.
Campaign leader: Geert Wilders
Seats in parliament: 16 (was 17, one MP moved to BBB)
The Partij voor de Vrijheid (Freedom Party) was formed in 2006 by Geert Wilders after he broke away from the free-market, centre-right Liberals (VVD). Wilders has made a career of speaking out against the ‘Islamisation’ of the Netherlands and lives under armed guard after receiving death threats. The PVV has only one member, Wilders himself, so no power struggles there then. Website
Main points from the manifesto
- An end to discrimination against the native Dutch
- No more refugees, limits to the number foreign students and workers
- Cutting red tape to boost provision of housing, rent cuts and increase in housing benefits
- End to nitrogen restrictions on new housing construction
- Increase in the minimum wage, but not specified how much
- A ban on mosques, Islamic schools and the Koran
- No dual nationality
- 0% value added tax on groceries
- Reduce the state pension age back to 65
- Life in jail should mean life
- 14-year-olds suspected of violent and sex crimes should be treated as adults
- No own-risk element in health insurance,
- No sugar tax, meat tax or tax on flying. Energy taxes to be cut
- Coal and gas-fired power plants to remain open, more nuclear power
- Financial help for poor elderly with sick pets
- Mayors to be elected by vote, the upper house of parliament to be scrapped
- End the “left-wing” hatred of heroes from history,
- Retract apologies for slavery, stop arts and culture subsidies
- Build more roads, maximum speed limit increased to 140 kph
- No more money for development aid
- Nexit referendum
Wilders has said he is “willing to compromise” for this election but his programme shows little sign of it apart from dropping the ministry for remigration and de-Islamisation. This is also the first time the PVV has published a manifesto that is more than one page long.
The PVV is currently polling at between 10% and 12%, which is virtually unchanged from the 2021 general election.
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