Dutch anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders abandons PM bid
Geert Wilders, the Dutch anti-Islam populist leader, has withdrawn his aspiration to become prime minister despite his party’s significant triumph in the 2023 elections.
In a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, he expressed, “I can only ascend to the role of prime minister if ALL parties in the coalition endorse it. Unfortunately, that was not the case.”
While his Freedom Party (PVV) secured the highest number of votes last year, it still required the backing of other parties to form a coalition government.
Ongoing discussions with three other parties are focused on shaping a new governmental structure.
The latest round of talks, concluded on Tuesday, is being led by a negotiator who is scheduled to present his report to parliament on Thursday.
In a message shared on Wednesday evening, Wilders expressed his preference for a right-wing cabinet emphasizing reduced asylum and immigration, prioritizing Dutch citizens. He emphasized his profound love for his country and constituents, placing it above personal ambitions.
Wilders, aged 60, engaged in extensive negotiations with the center-right liberal VVD, New Social Contract (NSC), and BBB farmers’ parties in an effort to establish a coalition government.
Leaders of these three parties emphasized this week that they would only proceed if all four party leaders agreed to abstain from government roles, as reported by Dutch public broadcaster NOS.
The emergence of a compromise candidate for the prime ministerial role remains uncertain.
A parliamentary debate on the matter is expected on Thursday, coinciding with the presentation of findings by Kim Putters, the mediator facilitating discussions among the four parties.
It is anticipated that the parties may be inclined to form a minority government with an “extra-parliamentary cabinet,” implying that none of the four party leaders would assume ministerial positions but would remain as Members of Parliament.
Exactly who would be prime minister and who would serve in the cabinet is unclear. After 14 years under Mark Rutte, the next Dutch government would have more of a figurehead as prime minister, while ministers could be drawn from outside politics as well as within.
New Social Contract leader Pieter Omtzigt and liberal VVD leader Dilan Yesilgöz favor that kind of cabinet. It would be handed a concise list of policies to stick to, giving broader powers to parliament, although exactly how it would work is still vague.
The last time a prime minister did not come from the largest party in the Dutch government was in the 1980s. The last time a Dutch prime minister was not the leader of one of the governing parties was in 1918, according to Dutch media.
The PVV’s victory last year shook Dutch politics and had repercussions across Europe as the Netherlands is one of the founding members of what is now the European Union.
