- Title: NETHERLANDS: Dutch eurosceptic Geert Wilders wants less EU for Netherlands
- Date: 21st May 2014
- Summary: AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS (RECENT - MAY 12, 2014) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English), DUTCH POLITICIAN, LEADER OF DUTCH FREEDOM PARTY (PVV), GEERT WILDERS, SAYING: "Let's first make sure that we will be able to form a group with enough parties, with the right parties and that will happen, that should be aim number one. If we mess that up, we make a historical mistake." GOUDA, THE NETHERLANDS (MAY 15, 2014) (REUTERS) WILDERS' FLYER WITH THE HIS DUTCH 100 GUILDER BANK NOTE, READING (Dutch): "Less EU" WILDERS WALKING THROUGH TOWN
- Embargoed: 5th June 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Netherlands
- Country: Netherlands
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA1PIQM1WBEVDFBKS0OOP8JAONT
- Story Text: Carrying a suitcase full of fake bank notes of the former Dutch currency, Dutch eurosceptic politician Geert Wilders kicked off his campaign for the European parliament elections with a clear message.
Standing outside the Dutch National Bank in Amsterdam, the leader of the Dutch Freedom Party (PVV) last week demanded the bank to abandon the euro in favour of the old Dutch currency the guilder.
"This is a suitcase with 315 thousand Dutch Guilders, I am going to ask them to print them as quickly as possible, to make sure that the Netherlands becomes proud and strong again with our own money, and out of the imprisonment of the Euro which only costs the Netherlands money and jobs," Wilders told journalists on the doorstep of the headquarters of the bank, while showing off the 100 Guilder notes that had his own face printed on it.
Wilders' anti-EU rhetoric has been a magnet for floating voters in the Netherlands who will cast their ballot in EU-wide elections on May 22.
"The people are fed up with Europe, what has Europe brought the Netherlands? We have less to say, we are not in control of our own borders, our own budget, and our own money. We have had billions of tax raises and austerity measures, cutting pensions and public health, whereas the people saw the money only go to Greece, to Cyprus, maybe to Ukraine in the next coming months, so there is very much dislike of Europe today," Wilders told Reuters in an interview last month.
Apart from playing his anti-EU card, Wilders also campaigns on an anti-immigration ticket, blaming the Netherlands' Moroccan population for an increase in crime and anti-social behaviour.
"He defends what we think. He protects the women, "a woman in Gouda offered as reasons for supporting him.
"Sorry that I have to say this, but we are really harassed here by Moroccans, at night I don't dare to go out on the street. He is our saviour. He is going to help us," Inge van der Lugt added.
Wilders created a storm of protest when in March he asked supporters if they wanted more or fewer Moroccans. "Fewer! Fewer!" they chanted. "Good. We'll arrange that," he said, smiling. Criticised by some as invoking Nazi deportations of Jews during World War Two, the comment briefly hit his poll ratings. But Wilders has bounced back since and pollsters say he will get 18 percent of the ballots.
"In the Netherlands you have a big group that don't like Wilders at all, almost 75 percent of the population, on the other hand you have 20 to 25 percent who really like him. Of those people, he has to get them to the polls, and my prediction is that his maximum will be around 17-18 percent, but because we have a very big fragmentation of our electorate, the biggest other party will be also close to that 17-18 percent," said pollster Maurice de Hond.
One of the most prominent of a generation of populists in Europe, Wilders hopes to be able to build an alliance with other anti-European parties set to make a strong showing across Europe next week.
He has already discussed closer cooperation with Marine Le Pen from France and is hoping to pull other parties in the group as well.
"Let's first make sure that we will be able to form a group with enough parties, with the right parties and that will happen, that should be aim number one. If we mess that up, we make a historical mistake," he said.
Polls forecasts that if the far right forms an alliance that included France's National Front and Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom in the Netherlands, it would win enough seats to form a group, meaning access to EU funds and greater influence. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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