Court confiscated plans
Wilders withdraws controversial anti-Islam legislation
January 8, 2024, 10:27 p.m
Geert Wilders wants to have the rights of Muslims in the Netherlands restricted by law. The country’s highest court classifies the proposals of the right-wing populist winner of the elections as violations of the rule of law. Now Wilders is retreating. Critics suspect tactical reasons.
Dutch right-wing populist Geert Wilders has withdrawn three controversial legislative proposals against Islam and Muslims. He informed the parliamentary executive committee of this in writing without giving any further reasons. The proposals included a ban on mosques and the Koran as well as a drastic restriction on the basic rights of Muslims. The move is seen as a gesture to his possible coalition partners.
On Tuesday, Wilder’s Party for Freedom (PVV) will resume talks with three other right-wing parties about the possible formation of a government. Among other things, it should be about whether the rule of law and the constitution remain untouched by the Wilders party. The right wing surprisingly won the parliamentary elections in October. He had already announced that he would put controversial projects on hold.
The PVV had submitted the three laws well before the election. According to one proposal, possession of a Koran should be punished with up to five years in prison. In a second draft law, the basic rights of people with multiple nationalities should be restricted. For example, they should be deprived of their right to vote. In the third project, Wilders wanted to make it possible for people to be detained without a court order if they were suspected of terrorism. There was no majority in parliament for any of these proposals. The highest court in the Netherlands classified them as violations of the rule of law.
Who will be the new head of government in the Netherlands?
Two weeks after the election in the Netherlands, Parliament began its work with a new composition. The 150 members of the Second Chamber were sworn in last Wednesday in The Hague. By far the largest faction is the radical right-wing Party for Freedom (PVV), led by Geert Wilders, with 37 seats – more than twice as many seats as before.
It is still unclear which parties want to form a new coalition and who will be the new head of government. Right-wing populist Wilders wants to govern together with the right-wing liberal VVD of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the center-right NSC party and the right-wing populist BBB. But the conversations are difficult. An explorer appointed by the previous speaker of parliament is supposed to explore the chances of a coalition. He wants to present his report next week.
The second largest force, with 25 seats, is the red-green alliance with the group leader and former EU Commissioner Frans Timmermans. The right-wing liberal VVD parliamentary group has 24 members. The previous Prime Minister Rutte has been in office for 13 years and announced his departure from national politics in the summer. He wants to become Secretary General of NATO. He wants to remain prime minister until a new government takes office.