4 days Ago
Appeal for Elections in the Midst of an Uncertain Environment
Opposition leaders are now calling for snap elections after the blackout. Schoof and Wilders have had their differences on policy but the prime minister has never publicly commented. Polls indicate that if elections were held today, the PVV might lose some of its lead but would still be the largest party, just ahead of the center-right People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy. But no single party in the Netherlands has ever won a majority, and current surveys suggest that some center-left and center-right parties could gain ground in the next vote.
Wilders Emphasizes Hardline Immigration Positions
PVV, the party of Wilders, had taken the most seats in the November 2023 elections. Nonetheless, Wilders was kept out of the executive government through the coalition agreement and remains in parliament. Famous for his strict immigration and Islamophobia, Wilders has been previously found guilty of discrimination. Last week, he called a news conference to demand that the government tighten asylum measures, to include the closing of borders, turning away asylum seekers and closing asylum centers. Although his party holds the migration portfolio, the rest of the coalition refused to bow to his demands, and he withdrew his support for the cabinet.
Wilders added, “We proposed a plan to close the borders for asylum seekers, to stop them, to send them away. To stop building asylum-seeker centers, to shut them down. I could only say to myself we are announcing today that we are withdrawing our support for this cabinet.”
