AMSTERDAM: Far-right populist Geert Wilders wants to be the Netherlands’ next PM and would focus his efforts on curbing immigration, he said following a shocking election win that will have repercussions in the Netherlands and beyond.
Wilders’ win sent a warning shot to mainstream parties across Europe ahead of European Parliament elections next June, which will likely be fought on the same issues as the Dutch election: immigration, cost of living and climate change.
Wilders is openly anti-Islam, and anti-EU. Beating all predictions, Wilders’ Freedom Party (PVV) won 37 seats out of 150 on Wednesday, well ahead of 25 for a joint Labour/Green ticket and 24 for the conservative People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte.