European far-right leaders celebrate Geert
Wilders’ party leading Dutch election exit polls
‘Parties like ours are coming all over Europe!’ says
Belgian far-right leader, as PVV predicted to win 35 seats
Will the
far-right PVV now form a government?
Helen
Sullivan and agencies
Thu 23 Nov
2023 03.05 EST
Far-right
figures across Europe have congratulated the Dutch anti-Islam, anti-EU populist
politician Geert Wilders and his Party for Freedom (PVV) on being predicted to
win the most seats in the Netherlands parliament, in an upset that opens the
way for the PVV to play a key role in the formation of the next government.
The PVV was
predicted to win 35 seats in the 150-seat parliament, according to exit polls,
which means that to form a working majority, Wilders will still need to gain
enough support to form a coalition.
In an
initial reaction after the vote, Wilders said: “The campaign is over and the
voters have spoken. Now we will have to look for agreements with each other.
With a wonderful position of 35 seats, the PVV can no longer be ignored.”
Hungary’s
far-right prime minister, Viktor Orbán, congratulated Wilders prematurely on
“winning the Dutch elections!”, saying the results showed “the winds of change
are here!”
The French
far-right leader, Marine Le Pen, congratulated Wilders and the PVV, saying the
result “confirms the growing attachment to the defence of national identities”.
Belgium’s
Tom Van Grieken, the leader of the far-right Vlaams Belang, said: “It is clear:
the population is yearning for real change. Not only in the Netherlands, but
also in Flanders. Parties like ours are coming all over Europe!”
Spain’s
far-right Vox party leader, Santiago Abascal, characterised the result, in an
election dominated by debates over immigration, as a clear signal: “More and
more Europeans demand in the streets and at the polls that their nations, their
borders and their rights be defended.”
The head of
the anti-immigration League party and deputy prime minister of Italy, Matteo
Salvini, called Wilders a “friend” and “ally of the League”, saying: “A new
Europe is possible.”
Alice
Weidel, the co-leader of Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland party,
said: “Congratulations on this great success. All of Europe wants political
change.”
Habib El
Kaddouri, the head of an organisation that represents Dutch Moroccans, said:
“The distress and fear are enormous. Wilders is known for his ideas about
Muslims and Moroccans. We are afraid that he will portray us as second-class
citizens.”
Friends of
the Earth Netherlands said: “A Wilders government will mean four years of
climate change denial, exclusion and a breakdown of the rule of law.”
The leader
of the GreenLeft-Labour party alliance, Frans Timmermans, said: “Democracy has
spoken, now it’s time for us to defend democracy, to defend the rule of law. We
have to make a fist against exclusion, against discrimination.”
The
Conservative party leader, Dilan Yeşilgöz, meanwhile, expressed scepticism that
Wilders would succeed in forming a government, saying: “It is up to Wilders to
show he can form a majority. I don’t see it happening.”
Reuters contributed to this report
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