Dutch election: Geert next prime minister

The Hague: Right-wing and anti-Islam leader Geert Wilders won yesterday’s Dutch election.

Geert is reported to be the next prime minister. Meanwhile, Geert’s victory not only shook Dutch politics, but reverberated throughout Europe. His PVV (Freedom Party) won 37 seats in parliament, a significant increase from the last election.

However, to fulfill his pledge to be a “prime minister for all”, Geert will have to negotiate with other parties to form a coalition. His target is 76 seats in the 150-seat Parliament. A Wilders victory has implications for Europe given the Netherlands’ status as one of the founding members of the European Union.

Despite advocating for a “Nexit” referendum to leave the European Union, Wilders admits to a lack of nationalist sentiment for such a move. Convincing potential allies to support this position is a formidable challenge.

In his victory speech following the exit polls, Wilders vowed to end the “tsunami of asylum and migration”.

Wilders, known for his anti-Islamic views, has faced death threats and required heavy police protection in recent years. He has previously sparked controversy by labeling the Prophet Muhammad a “pedophile” and referring to Islam as a “fascist ideology” and a “backward religion”. His arguments go as far as banning mosques and the Koran in the Netherlands.

Last year, Wilders expressed his support in the wake of BJP leader Nupur Sharma’s reference to the Prophet during a TV debate. He called for resistance against Islamic terrorists, saying, “Never give in to Islamic terrorists like Al-Qaeda, they represent barbarism. The entire Indian people should now rally around Nupur Sharma and support her. Al-Qaeda and Taliban put me on their hitlist years ago.”