Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Dutch far-right populist leader Geert Wilders, a vocal supporter of suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma, is poised for a significant victory in the Netherlands parliamentary election, according to exit polls. This outcome positions him to lead coalition government talks and potentially become the next Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
Geert Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV), known for its anti-Islam stances and immigration restrictions, surpassed expectations by winning 35 out of 150 seats in the parliamentary election, as indicated by exit polls reported by Reuters.
The exit polls reveal a decline for the party of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose coalition government collapsed in July, prompting the snap election. The Rutte-led party is projected to secure the third position with 23 seats, marking the end of his 13-year rule.
Born on September 6, 1963, in the city of Venlo within the province of Limburg, Geert Wilders is the youngest among four siblings. Raised in the Catholic faith, he is the offspring of a Dutch father and a mother with roots in colonial Indonesia, boasting a heritage that blends both Dutch and Indonesian ancestry. Wilders' father held a managerial position at the printing and copying manufacturing company Océ. Notably, he endured the trauma of hiding from the Germans during the Second World War, an experience so deeply impactful that even four decades later, he refuses to physically set foot in Germany.
Geert Wilders pursued his secondary education at the Mavo and Havo middle school and high school in Venlo. Foreshadowing his later career interests, Wilders engaged in a health insurance course at the Stichting Opleiding Sociale Verzekeringen in Amsterdam. Additionally, he acquired multiple law certificates from the Dutch Open University.
Having been raised in the Roman Catholic faith, Geert Wilders departed from the church during his coming of age. His political perspectives took shape during his travels to Israel and the greater Middle East in his young adult years. Wilders commenced his political career as a speechwriter for the conservative-liberal VVD, later serving as the parliamentary assistant to party leader Frits Bolkestein from 1990 to 1998. In 1997, he entered the municipal council of Utrecht, followed by his entry into the House of Representatives the next year.
Geert Wilders has become a divisive figure with polarised opinions from the global media. In 2009, he acknowledged his controversial status in the Netherlands, stating, "Half of Holland loves me and half of Holland hates me. There is no in-between." Public sentiment in 2005 reflected mixed reactions, with 53% finding his agenda "implausible" and 47% expressing support. Described as populist and labeled as both extreme right and far-right, Wilders is defended by some as a mainstream politician with legitimate concerns.
Supporting Nupur Sharma, Geert Wilders had previously stood by her amidst criticism for her controversial remarks about Prophet Mohammad on a television show last year. During an interview with India Today, Wilders said, “I would say look at yourself in the mirror before you decide what you think about India or any other country. The OIC released a declaration about human rights and all these nations are attacking India. They put Sharia law above democracy and human rights.”
In his victory address after the exit polls, Wilders pledged to address concerns about asylum and immigration. During the campaign, he shifted focus from his usual anti-Islam rhetoric to emphasise Dutch citizens' worries about the cost of living and strained healthcare infrastructure.