Geert Wilders: What the right-wing populist plans to do with the Netherlands

Since the big victory for the right-wing populist Geert Wilders, the poker has been tough in The Hague. Wilders won 37 of the 150 seats in parliament two weeks ago and is now looking for partners to govern. But the conversations are difficult. The actors circle carefully around each other. This has very little to do with a cute mating dance.

There is great distrust of the 60-year-old radical right-wing politician from the carnival stronghold of Venlo. There are equally great doubts as to whether his Party for Freedom (PVV) can even form a government. And nobody really knows what Wilders wants.

Option 1: Radical right-wing government in the Netherlands

At least that’s what he says, Wilders wants to govern with the right-wing liberal VVD of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte. And with the new center-right party New Social Contract NSC and the smaller right-wing populist peasant movement BBB. It would be the most right-wing government the country has ever had. But polls show that she would have a comfortable majority and the support of voters from the four parties.

The four of them could certainly quickly agree on one topic: the migration issue. Everyone wants a drastic reduction, especially in the number of asylum seekers. But Wilders has also promised his voters more money, fewer taxes and lower costs for shopping and health insurance. That costs billions. But his potential partners don’t want to go into debt.

There’s also a big catch: the VVD doesn’t want to. At least their boss Dilan Yesilgöz (46) is still cautious. Because of her party’s huge losses, she says it now has to be “modest.”

And Pieter Omtzigt (49), head of the new NSC party, also has major concerns. But Wilders needs both VVD and NSC for a stable majority.

Option 2: Minority government

The VVD leader would tolerate a minority government with a Prime Minister Wilders. This is the political form of “Wash me, but don’t wet my fur.” The right-wing liberal would like to have a say about the content. “I can’t wait to negotiate,” says Yesilgöz. She just doesn’t want to appoint ministers.

This is a setback for Wilders, but he is not yet giving up. “The country has to be governed, and we have to talk to each other,” he says. “And about the shape? We’ll see about that later.”

But the doubts of the former Christian Democrat Omtzigt are much greater, his concerns are fundamental.

Omtzigt founded the NSC precisely to strengthen the rule of law. Therefore, he now set tough conditions before negotiations began. Wilders must “put in the freezer” all points in his party program that are not compatible with the rule of law and the constitution.

Wilders had already promised during the election campaign that he wanted to put his agitation against Islam on hold, such as the call for a ban on the Koran and mosques. That’s not enough for Omtzigt. He wants guarantees. And he also wants EU membership, climate protection and aid for Ukraine not to be compromised.

If Wilders agreed to this, he would have to cut around half of the PVV program. But his voters would never go along with that.

Geert Wilders attempts the impossible balancing act

Wilders is now attempting the almost impossible balancing act. On the one hand, he wants to continue to satisfy his voters, but on the other hand, he doesn’t want to scare off his potential partners.

The man with the platinum blonde hair shows a new, compromise-ready side. “I’m always honest,” he says into the microphones of journalists, whom he otherwise likes to insult as “scum.” Mild Wilders. “I want to be a prime minister for all Dutch people,” he promises. But the facade is very thin. He then becomes abusive again and again, for example insulting his coveted partner Omtzigt on

The talks had barely begun when Wilders went on a provocation tour to angry citizens in The Hague who were demonstrating against the emergency room for refugees in a hotel. He wanted the “asylum stop,” he shouted.

Such actions do not go down well with the other parties. Because the basis of every government is still compromise and consensus. But Wilders has been attacking precisely this country’s political culture for over 20 years. Few believe in Wilders’ great transformation.

Wilders still has a problem. His own distrust of fellow campaigners stands in his way. He is the strong leader of the PVV and even the only party member. Precisely because he fears conflict and a breakup of the party, he does not allow any contradiction.

But when he moves to the “torentje”. – the little tower, as the Prime Minister’s official residence is called – he has to give up total control over his faction. Chaos threatens. It is conceivable that Wilders will remain in parliament after all – as shadow premier – and leaves the highest office to an independent candidate.

So far, everyone has ruled out a grand coalition. And no one dares to think about new elections either. For now, we just have to wait and see: In the Netherlands, forming a government traditionally takes a very long time – most recently in 2021 it was ten months.