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March 15, 2024The Populist’s Popularity
Netherlands
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Far-right politician Geert Wilders this week dropped his bid to become the Netherlands’ next prime minister, citing a lack of support during ongoing coalition talks – even though his party won most seats in the November parliamentary elections, the Associated Press reported.
On Wednesday, Wilders said he did not have the full support of all the three parties he was negotiating with to form a ruling right-wing coalition. He later described the decision to drop his leadership aspirations as unfair and “constitutionally wrong.”
His decision comes months after his nationalist, anti-Islam Party of Freedom (PVV) won 37 seats in the 150-seat lower house of parliament. Observers suggested that the PVV’s victory meant that Wilders would have a shot at leading a country that has long prided itself on its tolerant society.
But months of coalition talks between the PVV and three other parties – all together holding a comfortable majority of 88 seats – have yet to yield any results.
To end the political deadlock, Kim Putters, the mediator overseeing coalition talks, proposed a “program Cabinet” composed of representatives from the four main parties involved, alongside external experts.
Putters said that such an arrangement was essential given the fragmented nature of Dutch politics, noting that both majority and minority cabinets were unworkable.
He added that the new prime minister should be named “at a later date,” but did not elaborate on when or how that could happen.
Wilders criticized the technocratic nature of the proposed government.
Even so, he toned down his disappointment, noting that his decision to drop his leadership drive was aimed at prioritizing the interests of his party and its supporters over his own ambitions.
Dutch lawmakers will weigh the merits of Putters’ proposal and decide on the next steps in the process.
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