Half of PVV voters think Wilders has conceded too much during Cabinet formation process

 

SUNDAY, 21 APRIL 2024 - 13:47

https://nltimes.nl/2024/04/21/half-pvv-voters-think-wilders-conceded-much-cabinet-formation-process

 

Half of PVV voters think Wilders has conceded too much during Cabinet formation process

 

Roughly half of those who voted for the PVV during the last election think the far-right political party's leader, Geert Wilders, has made too many sacrifices in an attempt to form a coalition government with the VVD, NSC, and BBB. A survey conducted by RTL Nieuws found that two-thirds of the 4,300 PVV voters surveyed do not want Wilders to compromise further, despite the fact that wide gaps remain between the four parties on crucial policy issues, like immigration, asylum reception, and environmental sustainability in agriculture.

 

The far-right nationalist party remains the most popular in the Netherlands, according to political pollster Maurice de Hond. The PVV took 37 out of 150 seats in the November election for the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Parliament. If a new election were held today, the party would take 50 seats, De Hond wrote on Sunday. Most of that support would come from the VVD, which would lose nine of its 24 seats, and the NSC, which would lose out on 12 of its 20 seats.

 

The other parties making the biggest gains include the CDA, which could jump from 5 back to 9 seats, and SP would move from 5 to 7 seats. Both D66 and Volt would add a seat, with D66 increasing its number of MPs to 10, and Volt would rise to 3, according to De Hond.

 

PVV has actually lost a bit of support since February, after Wilders said he would no longer try to become the next prime minister, echoing the leaders of the three parties with which he is negotiating. Some party members are unnerved that Wilders softened his stance on Islam, considering it to be a religion and no longer calling for a ban against expressing it, according to RTL.

 

Wilders recently come out in favor of Ukraine military support, a major reversal, and he is not pushing for Nexit during the upcoming European Parliament elections.

 

He has also dropped a call to ban dual citizens from holding office or voting. About 47 percent were angered that Wilders stopped an attempt to block people dual citizenship from voting.

 

RTL also found that 60 percent of PVV voters were angered that Wilders withdrew a proposal for mandatory minimum sentences for convictions of serious criminal offenses.

 

Though 49 percent think Wilders has been too compromising, most of them also find the concessions acceptable. At the same time, they are concerned Wilders will lose face if he continues to soften his positions. The survey involved roughly 20,000 of the 43,000 people who registered to participate in RTL Nieuws polling. The survey was carried out on April 16 an 17.