Posted on 03/05/2010 10:08:21 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
* Concern over Islam, globalisation drive Wilders' support
* Focus on tolerance hid concerns over immigration
* Wilders' party could top snap election-poll
By Aaron Gray-Block
AMSTERDAM, March 5 (Reuters) - After scoring gains in local elections, Dutch anti-immigration politician Geert Wilders is now primed to make waves in a national poll in June by tapping into discontent over Islam and globalisation.
In the first test of public opinion since the collapse of Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende's coalition government last month, Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV) became the largest party in the city of Almere and came second in The Hague on Wednesday.
Drawing strength from a savvy public relations machine and a populist anti-immigration stance that plays well with part of the electorate, Wilders also represents a vote against the political elite, political experts say.
"He thrives on discontent in society and multiculturalism and he has targeted Islam," said Nico Landman, an associate professor in Islamic studies at Utrecht University.
Muslims now make up about 6 percent, or 1 million of the 16 million population of the Netherlands.
Hit by the slowdown in global trade after two decades of strong growth and low unemployment, the stagnating economy has heightened concerns over religious freedom, immigrant unemployment and crime.
Gay populist Pim Fortuyn was the first to tap into those concerns before he was gunned down by an environmentalist in 2002. Two years later, a Moroccan-Dutch man killed filmmaker and Islam critic Theo van Gogh, providing another flashpoint.
Recent governments have tightened immigration laws and pushed to integrate immigrants better, introducing compulsory Dutch language and society lessons.
(Excerpt) Read more at alertnet.org ...
Uh huh.
Isn’t that what politicians are SUPPOSED to do? Address voter discontent?
The Dutch were never consulted or given an opportunity to vote for or against allowing their country to be overrun by Muslims. The policy was imposed on them from above, arbitrarily. Now that they are given a choice, they are rejecting the entire notion of surrendering their country to a foreign — that is, not Dutch — culture. The same thing is happening in our country.
“Wilders creates fear and reacts to the Islamisation of the Netherlands, but there is no Islamisation of the Netherlands.”
WRONG! I just returned from 2 months in Amsterdam where I was yelled at by an angry muslim because on a cold day I was wearing a black and white scarf that has some significance to the muzzies.
The muzzies are everywhere in Amsterdam. I hope Wilders is successful in waking the Dutch up before they are inundated by islam. They will lose their society and their Dutch culture if they do not stop islam and soon.
It’s always the fault of the economy, never the ruling elite leftist oligarchy who pushes and pushes their boneheaded half-baked feel-good ideas on society wo considering the long term consequences.
I was in the DAM twice last year. The muslim populations seems to be growing. I think they all live at Centraal Station to...lol.
Reuters lies. Geert Wilder is not “anti-immigration”.
“Many people fear globalisation and a growing European Union and that’s why they vote for Wilders,” Boogers said.
He was in Revenge of the Nerds.
Great movie!
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