Geert Wilders Resumes Campaign Amid Threats in Dutch Elections

The Hague (Netherlands) - October 15 (AP): Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders announced Wednesday his return to the campaign trail, two weeks ahead of the general election. This decision comes after he briefly halted his campaign activities due to alleged threats from a suspected plot originating in Belgium, involving the assassination of politicians using a drone armed with explosives.

Wilders leads the populist Party for Freedom, or PVV by its Dutch abbreviation. The party emerged victorious in the last election held in late 2023, becoming the largest faction in a four-party governing coalition. However, earlier this year, Wilders withdrew his ministers from the government over disagreements about a stringent migration policy.

The manifesto for his upcoming election campaign includes proposals for a total cessation of asylum-seekers entering the Netherlands, deployment of military personnel at borders to enforce this ban, and shutting down of newly established asylum-seeker centers.

Currently, the PVV is leading in the polls for the upcoming October 29 election, which seeks to fill all 150 seats in the Second Chamber, the lower house of the Dutch Parliament. The Netherlands employs a system of proportional representation, and its fragmented political landscape makes a coalition government highly likely.

In a statement on X, Wilders remarked, “Elections are coming, it is campaign time and I feel a great responsibility toward the Netherlands and PVV voters. So I am getting back to work.” He plans to participate in numerous television and radio debates in the run-up to the election. Wilders mentioned he has been under 24-hour protection for 21 years due to “countless death threats of all shapes and sizes.”

Despite his party's previous success, it's uncertain if Wilders can form a right-wing coalition, even if he secures the most seats. The leader of the center-right Party for Freedom and Democracy has expressed unwillingness to enter a coalition with the PVV.

While Wilders' party led in the last election and was the largest in the coalition, he did not become prime minister. This was due to other parties' refusal to endorse his leadership. Instead, Dick Schoof, a seasoned civil servant, was appointed to lead the government, which lasted just 11 months.

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