Geert Wilders (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈxeːrt ˈʋɪldərs] or [ˈʝeːʁt ˈʋɪldəʁs]; born 6 September 1963) is a controversial Dutch politician and leader of the Party for Freedom, a party in The Netherlands. Born in the city of Venlo and raised as a Roman Catholic, Wilders attributes his politics to his support for what he calls 'Judeo-Christian values'. He formed many of his political views in his travels to Israel, as well as the neighboring Arab countries and his early job at the Dutch social insurance agency moved him to politics, where he worked as a speechwriter for the liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy. In 1996, he moved to the city of Utrecht, and was elected in the city council, and later the House of Representatives of the Netherlands.

Citing irreconcilable differences on the party's position on Turkish accession to the European Union, Wilders left the People's Party in 2004 to form his own party, the Party for Freedom. Since then, he has been outspoken on a number of issues such as immigration, freedom of speech, the fundamental beliefs of Islam, and the behavior of Moroccan youth in the cities. His controversial 2008 film about Islam in the Netherlands, Fitna, has received international attention. On 21 January 2009, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal ordered his prosecution for what it said was "the incitement to hatred and discrimination". Wilders has also been banned from entering the United Kingdom since 12 February 2009, with the Home Office viewing his presence as a "threat to one of the fundamental interests of society". That ban was lifted on 13 October 2009.

Early life and career

Wilders was born in the city of Venlo, Netherlands in the province of Limburg on the southern Dutch border with Germany. He is the youngest of four children. His father worked as a manager for the printing and copying manufacturing company Océ. His father fled the area to escape from the Nazis and became so traumatized from the experience that he refused to physically enter Germany even forty years later. Wilders speculates that his father may have had some Jewish ancestry.

Wilders' mother is born in Soekaboemi, Dutch East Indies. In a biography, Wilders himself seems to play down his Indo heritage. Anthropologist Lizzy van Leeuwen analyses Wilders' Eastern heritage with the concept of displacedness, and classifies his standpoints as "post-colonial revanchism". This analysis is met with agreement in Indo communities. However, in an interview, Wilders denied van Leeuwens' speculations.

Wilders received his secondary education at the Mavo and Havo middle school and high school in Venlo. Reflecting on passions that came to the fore later in his career, Wilders took a course in health insurance at the Stichting Opleiding Sociale Verzekeringen in Amsterdam and earned several Law certificates at the Dutch Open University.

Wilders considered seeing the world his lifetime goal after he graduated from college. Because he did not have enough money to go to Australia, his preferred destination, he went to Israel. For years he volunteered in a moshav and worked for several firms, becoming in his own words "a true friend of Israel". With the money he saved, he traveled to the neighboring Arab countries, and was moved by the lack of democracy in the region. When he left for the Netherlands, Israeli ideas about counterterrorism and a "special feeling of solidarity" for the country remained.

At home in Utrecht, Wilders initially worked in the health insurance industry. His interest in the subject led him into politics as a speech-writer for the Netherlands' People's Party for Freedom and Democracy. He started his formal political career as a parliamentary assistant specializing in foreign policy to Minister Frits Bolkestein from 1990 to 1998, during which time Geert Wilders travelled extensively. He travelled all across the Middle East in the 1990s, including Iran, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and Israel. Minister Bolkestein was one of the first Dutch politicians to address mass immigration, and he set an example for Wilders not only in his ideas but also in his confrontational speaking style.

Political career

Wilders was elected for the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy to the municipal council of Utrecht, the fourth largest city of the Netherlands, in 1997. He lived in Kanaleneiland, a suburb with cheap social housing and high apartment blocks, thus full of immigrants. While a city councilor, Wilders was mugged in his own neighborhood; some have speculated that this may have catalysed his political transformation. He was not rewarded for his time on the municipal council of Utrecht, for in the following elections he would score well below national average in the University city.

A year later, he was elected to the Netherlands' national parliament, but his first four years in parliament drew little attention. But in 2002, his appointment as a public spokesman for the People's Party, led Wilders to become more well known for his outspoken criticism of Islamic extremism. Tensions immediately developed within the party, as Wilders found himself to be to the right of most members, and challenged the party line in his public statements. In September 2004, Wilders left the People's Party, having been a member since 1989, to form his own political party, Groep Wilders, later renamed the Party for Freedom. His final dispute with the party was about his refusal to endorse the party's position that European Union accession negotiations must be started with Turkey.

The Party for Freedom's political platform often overlap those of the assassinated Rotterdam politician Pim Fortuyn and his Pim Fortuyn List. It bases its ideas on a small government, law and order, and direct democracy ideological framework. It calls for a €16 billion tax reduction, a far stricter policy toward recreational drug use, investing more in roads and other infrastructure, building nuclear power plants, and including animal rights into the Dutch constitution. In the 2006 Dutch parliamentary election, the Party for Freedom won, in its first parliamentary election, 9 out of the 150 open seats.

Polling conducted throughout March 2009 by Maurice de Hond has indicated that the Party for Freedom is the most popular parliamentary party. The polls predicted that the party would take 21 per cent of the national vote, taking 32 out of 150 seats in the Dutch parliament. If the polling results were to be replicated at an official election, Wilders could be a major power broker and would become the Prime Minister of the Netherlands. This has been partially attributed to timely prosecution attempts against him for hate speech and the travel ban imposed on him from the United Kingdom, as well as dissatisfaction with government response to the global financial crisis of 2008–2009.

Political views

Political principles

Wilders started off his political development under his mentor, Frits Bolkestein. Wilders generally considers himself to be a libertarian, with a specific mix of positions independent of the European political spectrum and particular of iconoclastic Dutch society. He has stated that "My allies are not Le Pen or Haider… We'll never join up with the fascists and Mussolinis of Italy. I'm very afraid of being linked with the wrong rightist fascist groups." Wilders views British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to be his greatest political role model. People's Party for Freedom and Democracy figure Frits Bolkestein also heavily influenced his beliefs.

Wilders strongly opposes the Dutch political system in general. He believes that a ruling elite exists among parliamentarians who only care about their own personal careers and disregard the will of the people. He also blames the Dutch system of multi-party coalition governing for a lack of clear and effective policies. In his view, Dutch society advocates rule by consensus and cultural relativism, while he believes that it should change so as to "not tolerate the intolerant".

On foreign relations, Wilders has largely supported Israel and has criticised countries he perceives as enemies of Israel. Furthermore, Wilders has made some proposals in the Dutch Parliament inspired by Israel. For example, Wilders supports implementing Israel's administrative detention in the Netherlands, a practice heavily criticized by human rights groups, which he calls "common sense".

Furthermore, Wilders recovered the ancient idea to reunite Flanders and the Netherlands.

Wilders published his political manifesto, called Klare Wijn ("Clear Wine"), in March 2005. It received a mixed reception in public polls, with 53% calling it "implausible" and 47% more supportive. The program proposed ten key points to be implemented.

• Considerable reduction of taxes and state regulations.
• The present Article 1 of the Dutch constitution, guaranteeing equality under the law, will be replaced by a clause stating the cultural dominance of the Christian, Jewish and humanist traditions.
• Reduction of the influence of the European Union, which may no longer be expanded with new member states, especially Turkey; the European Parliament will be abolished. Dutch financial contributions to the Union should be reduced by billions of euros.
• An immigration ban of five years for immigrants from non-western countries. Foreign residents no longer shall have the right to vote in municipal elections.
• A ban of five years on the founding of mosques and Islamic schools; a permanent ban on preaching in any other language but Dutch. Foreign imams will be forbidden to preach. Radical mosques will be closed; radical Muslims will be expelled.
• Educational standards will be restored, with an emphasis on the educational value of the family.
• Introduction of binding referenda and of chosen mayors, chiefs of police and prime ministers.
• Introduction of minimum penalties, and higher maximum penalties; introduction of administrative detention for terrorist suspects. Street terrorism will be punished by boot camps and the (denaturalisation and) deportation of immigrant offenders.
• Teachers, policemen, health care workers and military personnel will regain a position of respect and be better rewarded.
• The health care system should not be complicated by reorganisations but be more accessible and humane, especially as regards the elderly citizens.

Views on Islam

Wilders is best known for his criticism of Islam, summing up his views as being that "I don't hate Muslims, I hate Islam." Although identifying Islamic extremists as a small 5-15% minority of Muslims, he argues that "there is no such thing as 'moderate Islam'" and that the "Koran also states that Muslims who believe in only part of the Koran are in fact apostates". He suggests that Muslims should "tear out half of the Koran if they wished to stay in the Netherlands" because it contains 'terrible things' and that Muhammad would "… in these days be hunted down as a terrorist."

On August 8, 2007, Wilders opined in a open letter to the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant that the Koran, which he called a "fascist book", should be outlawed in the Netherlands, like Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf. He has stated that "The book incites hatred and killing and therefore has no place in our legal order." He has also referred to Mohammed as "the devil". In September 2009, he made a public speech advocating a €1000 a year ($1500) excise tax on headscarf wearing.

He believes that all Muslim immigration to the Netherlands should be halted and all settled immigrants should be paid to leave. Referring to the increased population of Muslims in the Netherlands, he has said that:

Take a walk down the street and see where this is going. You no longer feel like you are living in your own country. There is a battle going on and we have to defend ourselves. Before you know it there will be more mosques than churches!"

In a speech before the Dutch Parliament, he stated that:

lam is the Trojan Horse in Europe. If we do not stop Islamification now, Eurabia and Netherabia will just be a matter of time. One century ago, there were approximately 50 Muslims in the Netherlands. Today, there are about 1 million Muslims in this country. Where will it end? We are heading for the end of European and Dutch civilisation as we know it. Where is our Prime Minister in all this?
In reply to my questions in the House he said, without batting an eyelid, that there is no question of our country being Islamified. Now, this reply constituted a historical error as soon as it was uttered. Very many Dutch citizens, Madam Speaker, experience the presence of Islam around them. And I can report that they have had enough of burkas, headscarves, the ritual slaughter of animals, so‑called honour revenge, blaring minarets, female circumcision, hymen restoration operations, abuse of homosexuals, Turkish and Arabic on the buses and trains as well as on town hall leaflets, halal meat at grocery shops and department stores, Sharia exams, the Finance Minister's Sharia mortgages, and the enormous overrepresentation of Muslims in the area of crime, including Moroccan street terrorists.

Nonetheless, Wilders has traveled widely in the Arab world and Der Spiegel has stated that Wilders will "wax poetic" over those "magnificent countries". Wilders has also said that "It's a real shame that these places are so chaotic."

Wilders and Israel

Wilders lived in Israel for two years during his youth and has visited the country 40 times the last 25 years.

Wilders stated about Israel: "I have visited many interesting countries in the Middle East (Tunisia, Turkey, Cyprus, Iran) but nowhere did I have the special feeling of brotherhood that I always get when I land on Ben Gurion International Airport. Dutch public tv channel Nederland 2's daily news programme Netwerk reported, that numerous American supporters of Israel financially supported Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV) and openly approved of his message towards Islam and Islamic terrorism. Wilders told an audience during the report, that "We [in the West] are all Israel". He has also said "Israel is the West's first line of defense" against what he perceives to be a threat posed by Islam.

Fitna

Fitna is a 2008 short film written and commissioned by Wilders that explores Koranic inspired motivations for terrorism, Islamic universalism, and Islam in the Netherlands. Its title comes from the Arabic word fitna, which describes "disagreement and division among people" or a "test of faith in times of trial".

It is the subject of an international controversy and debate on free speech. Despite the legal troubles surrounding the film, Wilders insists that he had consulted numerous lawyers in the field, who found nothing worth prosecution, before he ran it. Jordan has summoned Wilders to court, with the film deemed to "incite hatred". Al-Qaeda issued a call to murder Wilders after its release.

In the spring of 2009, Wilders launched the "Facing Jihad world tour", a series of screenings of Fitna to public officials and influential organizations around the globe, starting in Rome. In the United States, Wilders performed a showing to the United States Congress on February 26, having been invited by Arizona Republican Senator Jon Kyl. Around 40 people attended it. Muslims in the United States protested the showing, but the groups said that they supported his right of free speech while still condemning his opinions. Wilders spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February 28. He appeared before the National Press Club and the Republican Jewish Coalition that week as well. Similar attempts in Britain led to a travel ban, and legislative blocks have stifled an appearance in Denmark.

Personal life

On November 10, 2004, 2 suspected terrorists were captured after an hour-long siege of a building in The Hague. They had 3 grenades and have been accused of planning to murder Geert Wilders as well as then fellow MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali. The men in question were presumed members of what the Dutch intelligence agency, the General Intelligence and Security Service, has termed the Hofstadgroep. Since then, Wilders has been under constant security protection because of frequent threats to his life. In September 2007, a Dutch woman was sentenced to a one-year prison term for sending out more than 100 threatening emails to Wilders, and he remains the most threatened politician in the Netherlands in 2008.

Geert Wilders is said to have been "deprived… of a personal life for his… hatred of Islam." He is moved by his state-provided bodyguards to a different location every night, and cannot receive visitors unless they are carefully screened and escorted at all times. He is married to a Dutch–Hungarian former diplomat, with whom he can only meet about once every week due to security concerns. The restrictions on his life because of this, he said, is "a situation that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy".

Wilders has acquired nicknames such as "Mozart" and "Captain Peroxide" due to his flamboyant platinum blond hairstyle. Radio Netherlands calls him "the most famous bleach-blond since Marilyn Monroe". Wilders is an atheist, but he has stated that he thinks Dutch Christians "are my allies" and that they fundamentally should want the same thing.

Public reception

Wilders is a very controversial figure in the Netherlands, and around the world. He has been labeled in the world news media as "extreme right" and far right, and is accused of building his popularity on the fear and resentment among Dutch voters toward immigrants. Der Spiegel has called his statements "disrespectful", "hate-filled tirades" and has stated that "the elite in the Netherlands despise him for his demagogic manner". According to NRC Handelsblad, "his critics say he has become obsessed with Islam and impervious to reason and alternative points of view."

Muslim critics of Wilders accuse him of using Koranic verses out of context. Due to Wilders' perceived positions on Islam, the Dutch–Moroccan rapper Appa, when interviewed about Wilders for a newspaper, said "if someone were to put a bullet in his head, I wouldn't mind". Wilders' views on Islam prompted the Muslim Mayor of Rotterdam, Ahmed Aboutaleb, to severely reprimand him.

On 15 December 2007, Wilders was declared "politician of the year" by NOS-radio, a mainstream Dutch radio station. The parliamentary press praised his ability to dominate political discussion and to attract the debate and to get into publicity with his well-timed one-liners. The editors eventually gave the title to Wilders because he was the only one who scored high both among the press as well as the general public.

Given that Wilders has allegedly called for the ban of the sale of the Koran while simultaneously arguing for his own personal freedom of speech, editorials in Alternet, The Montreal Gazette, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and The New York Times have accused him of hypocrisy. In a speech during a Dutch parliamentary debate, Wilders elaborated that he calls for the consistent application of Dutch laws restricting any act of expression that incites violence. Ideally, he would prefer to see nearly all such laws abolished. As such, he supports a European-wide constitutional protection of freedom of speech like that which exists in the United States.

Wilders has also been compared to the assassinated fellow critic of Islam and filmmaker Theo van Gogh, but he does not see himself as taking on van Gogh's mantle. Wilders has stated that he supports the free speech rights of his critics, saying that "An Imam who wants a politician dead is - however reprehensible - allowed to say so". He has responded to charges of racism and Islamophobia by stating "I don't hate Muslims. I hate their book and their ideology". In a 2009 interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Wilders said that the four members of his party in the European Parliament would not ally with the British National Party representatives, and called their talk of whites and blacks "disgusting".