Friday, Jul. 29, 2011

Netherlands

On the Ballot

Party: Freedom Party
Leader: Geert Wilders
Key issues: Anti-establishment, Islam, law enforcement
Seats in Parliament: 24/150

Geert Wilders single-handedly founded the Freedom Party in 2005. Despite its youth and the flamboyance of its leader — Wilders declared earlier this year that juvenile offenders should be relegated to a "village for scum" — the party has achieved overwhelming popularity. In March 2011, polls showed the party with 17.6% approval, second only to the Liberal Party, which governs in a minority coalition with the Christian Democrats.

On the Fringe

Nederlandse Volks-Unie (Dutch People's Union)
The neo-Nazi group, founded in 1971, argues for the rehabilitation of convicted World War II criminals and often appears in S.S. costume at demonstrations. The group has fielded candidates in local and national elections in recent years, but has yet to secure a seat.

Netherlands National Youth
The one-year-old group aims to establish a white Netherlands and banish immigrants.