Dutch
Populist's Brother Speaks Out
Geert
Wilders routinely incites against Muslims and immigrants to court
voters. In an interview, Paul Wilders explains how his brother became
an Islamophobe and how he lives -- in hiding, with security and under
constant fear of death threats.
© Interview
Conducted By Claus Hecking
March 01, 2017
01:27 PM
Paul Wilders, 62, is
nine years older than his brother Geert, the Dutch right-wing
populist best known for his incitement against immigrants and
Muslims. General elections are scheduled for March 15 in the country
and Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV) is currently slightly ahead of
the party of incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the polls.
SPIEGEL: Mr.
Wilders, for years you did not make any public statements about your
brother Geert. But now you have criticized him via Twitter. Why?
Wilders: After the
Berlin terrorist attack, Geert sent out a photo montage showing
(German Chancellor) Angela Merkel with blood on her hands. It crossed
a line. This is no longer political criticism. It spreads hate. My
brother knows that some of his supporters take his messages
literally, and that they use Facebook to call for acts of violence.
Geert doesn't want violence, and yet he accepts the potential
consequences of such messages.
SPIEGEL: Your
brother portrays himself as the true representative of the Dutch
people ...
Wilders: ... and yet
few politicians have as little contact with the people as Geert. He
simply cannot go out into the street. He and his wife have been
living in a secret location for 12 years, and they need permanent
personal security. He has already received several serious death
threats from Islamists. There is always security staff outside the
door when he is in his apartment. He needs bodyguards when he goes
shopping. They even attend our family events. Geert's world has
become very small. It consists of the parliament, public events and
his apartment. He can hardly go anywhere else. He is socially
isolated and alienated from everyday life. This isn't good for
anyone.
SPIEGEL: And yet he
is surprisingly popular among the Dutch.
Wilders: He is a
master of short messages. And in this complex age, that is precisely
what many people want: a simple political vision without any nuance.
Geert gives them that. He creates an identity: We, the Dutch people.
And he also creates opposite poles: Muslims, the European Union, the
elites. Terrorist attacks, refugees and the euro crisis engender fear
and dissatisfaction. My brother, French populist Marine Le Pen and
others take advantage of this mood and offer seemingly simple
solutions: out with the migrants, close the borders, exit the EU. But
our problems are far more complex. Geert peddles illusions to people.
SPIEGEL: What do you
mean?
Wilders: For
instance, in his campaign platform he pledges to close the mosques
and ban the Koran. How is this supposed to work, from a practical
standpoint? It violates our constitution, which means it would have
to be approved by both chambers of parliament with a large majority.
Given our political landscape, with its many parties, he'll never
succeed. To become prime minister, Geert would need several coalition
partners, or he would need the support of several parties in a
minority government. He would have to make compromises and break
campaign promises.
SPIEGEL: Does your
brother really believe what he preaches, or is it all just show?
Wilders: He is a
staunch opponent of Islam. But there is, of course, plenty of
strategy and thirst for power in the mix. Geert doesn't have much
left in life besides politics. His fortunes hinge on his political
success.
SPIEGEL: What was he
like as an adolescent?
Wilders: He was a
horrible pest, egocentric and aggressive.
SPIEGEL: What did he
do?
Wilders: I don't
want to reveal any private details, but he was already extreme at the
time, even for an adolescent. He has tunnel vision, and he doesn't
believe in compromise. You know, my mother lives for her children,
and she loves us deeply. But Geert's behavior toward her and my
father was so appalling that they seriously threatened to throw him
out of the house one day. My brother improved after that. After
finishing school, he went to Israel, where he worked in a settlement
and became an adult.
SPIEGEL: How did he
get into politics?
Wilders: When he was
working for a government agency in the late 1980s, he discovered
irregularities. He wanted to change things. The two of us spent hours
discussing which party he should join. He was neither clearly on the
left or the right at the time, nor was he xenophobic. But he was
fascinated by the political game, the struggle for power and
influence.
SPIEGEL: How did he
become a radical opponent of Islam?
Wilders: It was a
process that went on for years. In Israel, he witnessed the tensions
with the Palestinians. Later, when he was living in Utrecht, more and
more Turks and Moroccans moved into his neighborhood, and he didn't
like that. As a young member of parliament, he abruptly withdrew from
a delegation that was visiting Iran. He felt so threatened that he
suddenly rushed from the hotel to the airport and took the first
plane home. After Sept. 11, and the murders of politician Pim Fortuyn
in 2002 and filmmaker Theo van Gogh in 2004, he recognized that there
was a gap in the political landscape, and he began to make a name for
himself as an opponent of Islam. Then came the death threats, and
when you need constant security because of that, you become even more
paranoid.
SPIEGEL: Can he be
moderated?
Wilders: In the
beginning, we often discussed how far you can go. But it didn't help.
When it comes to politics, Geert does not tolerate any contradiction,
neither privately nor in his parliamentary group. Many of his old
friends have distanced themselves from him.
SPIEGEL: And the
family?
Wilders: We
occasionally get together for family events, mostly for my mother's
birthday. But we never talk about politics then. It's taboo. Everyone
knows that if we started a discussion or actually criticized him, he
would leave and we would never see him again. He would cut off all
contact.
SPIEGEL: With you,
too?
Wilders: He has
blocked me on Twitter since I criticized him in December. That's how
it goes with him. Those who contradict him are punished. There is
only black and white for Geert, and nothing in between. But I
couldn't remain silent. There is more at stake here than these
elections. It's a question of whether we seal ourselves off, close
the borders and discriminate against people because of their religion
or their different opinions. I recently walked past a group of young
men. Suddenly they shouted: "We'll pay you a visit after the
election and settle some scores."
SPIEGEL: Are you
also under police protection?
Wilders: No. I want
to lead a normal life and not be caught in a trap like my brother. He
will probably need security for the rest of his life. And even if he
loses the election, he has to keep doing what he does. What else
should he do? There is no turning back. I pity him.
SPIEGEL: Do you even
love your brother anymore?
Wilders: Of course.
Politically I disagree with him completely. But he is my brother. I
believe he is unhappy. That makes me unhappy, too.
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