If anyone suspected the rise of far-right influence in Europe, the answer came from the Netherlands three weeks before the European elections. The most extreme right-wing government in the country’s post-war history is operating in the form of a coalition with a strong anti-immigrant stamp and headed by November election winner Freedom Party (PVV) leader Geert Wilders.
Agreement to form Govt
After six months of negotiations and 16 hours of final negotiations, Wilders last Wednesday – just ahead of the deadline – announced a preliminary agreement to form four parties into a new governing coalition controlling 88 of the 150 seats in parliament. Mark Rutte’s successor as prime minister will be announced in the next few days.
The anti-Islamist Wilders “compromised” not to become prime minister himself, but no one doubts that he will have the first say in formulating government policy as the leader of the largest party participating in the coalition with 37 seats.
The second force in the ruling coalition is the 24-seat, liberal-conservative People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), led by Dilan Kecilkios, a refugee of Kurdish origin. Evren’s Turkish military rule in the Netherlands across the Aegean. Rutte, who has led four coalition governments, has announced his withdrawal from Dutch politics, while Jeseljeos’ participation in government will soften his racist image.
A third partner is the New Social Contract (NSC) led by Peter Omczyk. The centre-right party was founded last August, three months before the election when it won 20 seats on promises to strengthen good governance and social security. The right-wing populist Farmers-Citizens Movement (BBB), founded following the 2019 agricultural mobilization, is also in government led by Carolina van der Plas, a journalist specializing in agrarian issues.
A common feature of ruling coalitions
As Wilders described it, the common denominator of the four signatories to the “Faith, Courage and Pride” agreement is to further tighten immigration and deportation and reduce the number of foreigners studying in the Netherlands. There are severe penalties for serious crimes, social housing measures and limits on property taxation.
Blaming the welfare state’s crisis on migrants rather than spending cuts, parties have pledged to organize the system and support the most vulnerable Dutch citizens.
Preparing the groundwork for his partnership with Dutch liberals and conservatives, the far-right Wilders has toned down his rhetoric in recent months, while alongside his prime ministerial aspirations, he has scaled back his announcements to leave the EU. Refusal of any military aid to Ukraine.
In Europe, it has barred the cooperation of liberal and conservative parties with the far-right, which already governs Italy and Hungary, co-rules in Finland, while in Sweden tolerating parliament by supporting a centre-right government. A tough immigration policy has long been in decline.
The rise of the far right in European elections
Euro elections from Spain and Portugal to France, Germany and Austria are expected to record a further surge of the far right. It remains to be seen whether a single group can be formed in the European Parliament to block his work, as the two main far-right groups frequently threaten.
The center-right European People’s Party, despite its so-called “soft” trend (Italy’s Meloni Brothers, Poland’s Law and Justice), avoids taking a clear position on the possibility of some form of cooperation with the far-right in EU institutions. , Spain’s Vox , the Swedish and Finnish Democrats) clash more with the so-called “extreme” trend (Le Pen, Salvini, German AfD, etc.).
