According to exit polls, Geert Wilders is set to win an overwhelming parliamentary victory in a shocking upset for leftists in The Netherlands election. Wilders has been speaking out against globalism, immigration, and Islam over the last several years, gaining worldwide popularity as a political figure. Still, no one expected him to be in a position to become the next Dutch prime minister.
The exit poll shows that Wilders’ Party for Freedom won a stunning 35 seats out of the 150-seat lower parliamentary house. This is more than a 100% gain from the 17 seats he captured in the prior election.
Wilders posted a video to Twitter/X when he received the results, showing shock and delight at the victory.
35!!!!!!
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) November 22, 2023
PVV GROOTSTE PARTIJ ❤️ pic.twitter.com/oMANVYvGjy
Worldwide, voters appear to be pushing back against left-wing globalist governments that don’t seem to have their constituents’ best interests in mind. This shock upset occurred within a week of Javier Milei rocking Argentina with his radical libertarian vision, curtailing decades of government overreach in the South American country.
Related: Anti-Socialist Javier Milei Is Elected President of Argentina
The Party for Freedom ran on a platform calling for The Netherlands to leave the European Union, halt all incoming refugee immigration, which has overwhelmed the country in the last decade, and remove controls that limit industry in the name of climate change. The party also has a strong anti-Islam stance, and Wilders has called for the “de-Islamization” of the Netherlands.
Wilders is unabashed in his nationalism, having posted to Twitter in 2018, “Our population is being replaced. Our leaders allow it. They betray us. We have to resist both islamization and traitorous leadership. No more. Close our borders, leave the EU and regain national sovereignty, deislamize our nations and do our duty as proud patriots!”
He’s posed such a threat to the globalist establishment in the country that they previously indicted him on trumped-up charges. The Netherlands does not have free speech as does the United States. In 2016, Wilders was convicted of insulting Moroccan immigrants to the country, which the courts said was dangerous and beyond what they consider freedom of expression. Though he was found guilty, the judges gave Wilders no fine or penalty.
The case was brought because Wilders asked his constituents whether they wanted more or fewer Moroccans in the country. In reply, they shouted, “Fewer!” Wilders stated, “Then we’re going to take care of that," which led to his indictment.
His political opponents filed the charges and tried to get him convicted of discrimination, but he was acquitted on that charge. Wilders appealed, but the courts still found him guilty. He used the conviction to galvanize supporters during this election cycle because of what he considered a politically motivated abuse of the legal system.
This election was called after outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte resigned in July, failing to maintain a coalition among the parties in the Netherlands. Rutte was to be replaced by Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, whose polls showed her neck-and-neck with Wilders and his party going into the election. Wilders triumphed with the surprising result.
According to Dutch officials, final tallies will be posted on Thursday, but with such a landslide in the exit polls, Wilders is all but assured victory.
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