He is one of the best-known Dutch politicians. His views about Islam have offended Muslims and non-Muslims alike, in the Netherlands and around the world. He's the most famous bleach-blond since Marilyn Monroe. But just who is Geert Wilders, and what makes him tick?
Dutch MP Geert Wilders wants to ban the Koran
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Two young Dutch journalists experienced the many sides of Geert Wilders while writing a biography of the Dutch politician. It's called 'It can't get much crazier', a phrase Wilders himself often uses during debates.
Arthur Blok says they chose the title because Wilders's opinions about Islam have been getting increasingly extreme, and can't go much further.
Mr Blok and co-author Jonathan van Melle (see box ) were taken aback by Mr Wilders' style. They initially enjoyed their subject's cooperation in writing the book. But after Mr Blok published a web-log critical of Mr Wilders, he withdrew his cooperation, and went so far as to demand that they could not use anything he had already told them.
On the advice of their publisher, the two ignored Mr Wilders' demands and went ahead with the biography. So how much does Geert Wilders' past help to explain the role he plays in the Dutch political landscape? Are his extreme views rooted in principled beliefs, or is he an opportunistic populist?
Unexpected gift
Arthur Blok and Jonathan van Melle are both Dutch journalists. Arthur was a parliamentary correspondent and now works for Dutch television. Jonathan is currently studying political science and communication in Ohio in the United States.
Both journalists were born in Lebanon, and adopted by their Dutch parents when they were babies. Their names are typically Dutch, and when speaking to them on the telephone, one imagines two tall blond guys. But they look Lebanese. Arthur says this dissonance has always been strange, but that it's just as often positive as negative.
They are both Christian, and fully-fledged Dutch citizens. Nonetheless, they feel implicitly threatened by Geert Wilders's populism. That is, in part, what motivated them to write "It can't get much crazier". |
Geert Wilders grew up in the south of the Netherlands, and to this day retains traces of his southern accent. He was the last of four children, born five years after the next oldest child at a time his parents didn't think they could have any more children. His mother always told him he was "an unexpected gift" .
Wilders has fond memories of his childhood, but two of his recollections in particular stand out. He says he never had a teddy bear or a special comfort blanket, and when he was still a boy, the only poster in his room was a reprint of Pablo Picasso's anti-war painting, Guernica.
Rebel
As a teenager, Wilders was a rebel. He wore his as yet un-bleached hair long, and often kept his leather jacket on during class. He even had a pair of leather pants. He and his friends liked to go out drinking, and occasionally smoked marijuana.
A turning point was when he went to Israel, where he worked for some months on a moshav, a collective farm. He was impressed by the Israeli people, and to this day maintains a strong bond with the country. But his wanderlust did not stop at Israel. He has also traveled extensively in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
Parliament
Back in the Netherlands, he won a seat in parliament for the conservative VVD in 1998, but it took him a few more years before he realized his ambition and became the party spokesperson on foreign policy. During those years, he impressed friend and foe alike with his enthusiasm and knowledge. He was known as being on the right wing of the party, but his extreme views, particularly his concern about the Islamification of the Netherlands, were not yet in evidence.
That began to change after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Centre. Wilders had never stopped travelling, and in the months after the attacks, his colleagues were impressed by the breadth of his knowledge of the region. In one case, a correspondent recalls Mr Wilders warning of the threat posed by Moqtada al-Sadr, the Iraqi Shiite leader, long before he became well-known outside Iraq.
Breaking point
Wilders was unhappy with the moderate stances of the Conservative VVD leadership, and increasingly challenged the party line, especially after the attacks on the World Trade Centre. He accused the VVD leadership of embracing a multi-cultural worldview, and underestimating the threat posed by Muslims in the Netherlands. But in the end, it was his opposition to Turkey's potential membership in the EU which was the breaking point. He left the VVD, and started the process of forming his own party.
The Freedom Party is more a movement than a political party. It has no members, only supporters. But Geert Wilders learned from the travesty of the List Pim Fortuyn, the right-wing party established by the flamboyant populist which floundered after Fortuyn's murder. The LPF caucus was inexperienced and undisciplined, and quickly self-destructed due to internal bickering.
The Freedom Party is nothing if not disciplined. But Wilders was also careful in selecting his list of candidates for parliament, and trained them extensively. In his role as party leader, Mr Wilders is a micro-manager who likes to be in control.
Politician pur sang
Author Jonathan van Melle says Wilders is a politician
pur sang.
"He loves politics, he can't live without politics. So if the Freedom Party loses all its seats, then Wilders has no life anymore."Both van Melle and Blok say Wilders fully operates based on a principled belief that what he's advocating is the right thing to do. But they also agree that Wilders knows better than anyone how to communicate those beliefs to a broad audience. So far, Geert Wilders has played his cards very well. If a snap election was called, he would almost certainly get more votes than in the last election. But even for someone who likes pushing the envelope, it can't get much crazier.
Tags:
Arthur Blok,
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Dutch politics,
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Expert Mohamad Ali,
21-08-2008
-
hi
muslims specially who live in non mulsims countries should respect the law and the traditions . Also they have to thank non-mulsims because they gave them what they would never can get in muslims countries such as freedom
regards
Jurist Expert Mohamad Ali
Javeed,
javeedmohiuddin@yahoo.com,
27-05-2008
- India
As Salamalikum to all readers. All belive in judgement day. Muslim and Christian and Jew all believe in life after death, and u should believe this too that the judgement day will not come untill there is one single Muslim alive on this earth. This world is alive because the Muslim is there on this earth. if you have any doubt and question, email me, I can answer you any type, any time to clear your mind and give u right path.
aboooode,
dr_ahmed_salah2000@yahoo.com,
12-04-2008
- egypt
I'm Muslim & I disagree with any harm of any human being. This is our nature but if someone hurts you, you should reply. as we have one of greatest civilizations in the world. Our voice may not reach you & we respect you, but if you not...
I think there are a lot of good people in Holland, but I observe America is dominated by the Jews who control the economy of most of the world.
marie,
01-04-2008
- malaysia
What if a muslim does a similar video on the Bible, the Torah or even an anti holocaust movie? Do you think the west will ignore or will use every means to prevent this from happening? I am sure that the Freedom of Expression act will be revoked if this happens. If the Koran or Islam is really bothering and worrying Geert Wilders and the right wingers, it is true then that Islam, being the fastest growing religion in the world and even though there is radicalism and militancy - as in every society or religion - people are still attracted and moved towards embracing Islam.
I would say that it is the failure and ignorance as well as being sore losers to accepting and acknowledging the beauty and strength of Islam is what turning Geert Wilders and the other right wingers into islam haters. Maybe he realises that churches are now filled with mostly old people whereas the Mosque is getting more and more worshippers?
Does the Freedom of Expression or Speech allows anyone to slander the Dutch Royals or the Pope openly?
Geert Wilders only look for the bad apples in Islam which isnt' the fault of the Koran or the teachings - he should look for the positive. He should travel to Northern Ireland and try to mend the ties between the Protestants and the Catholics instead of using the platform of Islam bashing to win the popularity contest.
There isnt any respect that a person can get by using the platform of religious, racial or cultural bashing.
Even muslims do not slander other religions or holy books - ever heard of muslims burning bibles...the Torah or the Sanskrit? The only reasons why there is militancyi n islam is simply because their countries were colonised and marginalised by the right wing and fascist domInated countries like the USA.
The principles and application of islam is the same everywhere but it is the cultural aspect of where islam is practised that more often than not presents people like Geert Wilders and human rights the opportunity to strike. As an example, women are treated much, much more fairly in Malaysia where I am working and living now compared to in Saudi Arabia, Algeria or Iran.
It is also good for people like Geert Wilders to do something which he believes is his right and a good thing - which is actually stupid - and his actions actually allows and encourages more dialogues between muslims and curious people. Like 9/11 and the continued prosecution by the right wing US government, more and more people are beginning to see and find out about Islam and attracting them to embrace too.
Thank you Geert Wilders for allowing more of my friends back home and everywhere to know more about Islam and realised that it is a very knowledgeable religious book.
Micheal Yong,
29-03-2008
- Malaysia
Mr Geert Wilders shouldn't too sentimental in handling local issues. He shouldn't blame a certain religion teaching for the action done by a small proportion of the followers. The Netherlands is not alone in having racial problems involving the immigrants. In Malaysia, we have the immigrant population reaching almost 50% of the total population. But we are not in a panic. Mr Geert Wilders: open your eyes and see the world in a more positive way.
wasp,
28-03-2008
- USA
Acceptance of the escalation of violence by any group is wrong. The reason the extreme Christian right-wing KKK has no power today is because average Christians found their tactics and methods unacceptable. What troubles me is the apparent widespread accepance of violemce by Islamic people. If the methods of Jihadists were as reprehensable as the Islamic rhetoric suggests, why do 'true' Islamic believers continue to tolerate them. When I see Islam policing its own, I'll believe Islam is not evil.
Eduard de Limbuger,
26-03-2008
- ditto
Right on! Mr. Geert has a tone realism that is lacking especially in the Netherlands: the Dutch have forgotten: do in Rome as the Romans do. If the country wants to sink to the lowest denominator then glorify everything foreign; it will eventually erase any trace of inherited talent, entrepreneurship, pride and competitiveness: the Dutch will soon be lackies of all their immigrants and doomed to listen to the drum beat of a small obnoxious carbuncle that will sap everything Dutch from their spine. I say, listen to the nay-sayers on integration and save your country from Gestapo-like invasion.
Subscriber,
09-03-2008
- Australia
To Rafic Soormally
Many Palestinians have been driven from their homes and that is very sad and unjust. But many Jews were driven from their homes in Arab lands and that was also very sad and unjust.
For example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_exodus_from_Arab_lands
"The Jewish exodus from Arab lands refers to the 20th century expulsion or mass departure of Jews...."
"According to official Arab statistics, 856,000 Jews left their homes in Arab countries from 1948 until the early 1970s. Some 600,000 resettled in Israel, leaving behind property valued today at more than $300 billion. "
Next consider:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine_Liberation_Organization
"The original PLO Charter declared the establishment of Israel 'illegal, null and void' and outlined goals to 'liberate the homeland' via armed struggle."
And compare that to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel
The newly-created United Nations approved the UN Partition Plan (United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181) on November 29, 1947, dividing the country into two states, one Arab and one Jewish. Jerusalem was to be designated an international city – a corpus separatum – administered by the UN to avoid conflict over its status.[51] The Jewish community accepted the plan,[52] but the Arab League and Arab Higher Committee rejected it.[53]
In other words, in the beginning, it was ARAB leaders who CHOSE conflict.
Also remember that Jews always lived in the territory of Israel even after it was conquered by Romans.
Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, the return of overseas Jews increased their numbers, so at the time of the UN Plan, there were enough to re-create a viable Jewish state.
The Palestinians might have also created a state if their leaders had chosen to be nation builders.
Unfortunately they chose to reject the UN Plan and be destroyers instead.
fara,
01-03-2008
- australia
Sad to say, Wilder is cursing the creator who created him and to whom he owes his existence !
Christopher Davies,
chriscrossnieuws@yahoo.com,
18-02-2008
- Nederland
The Dutch media does not help. A moderate and very civilised Muslim friend, and leader of a very large Muslim group, says the Dutch media ignores his attempts to respond to criticism of Muslims.
Jon Reykdalin,
17-02-2008
-
The Telegraaf reported in May 2007 that Geert Wilders had been shadowed by the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service for years, when he was foreign affairs spokesman for the VVD. During that time, Wilders regularly visited with the Israeli embassy in The Hague.
BJ and the Bear,
17-02-2008
-
A hero that Europe needs more than ever. Islam is a gutter religion. It's a medium for evil and repression and all Muslims should have their legal status, as both immigrants and citizens, revoked and deported. The cancer must be excised.
jasmin,
04-02-2008
- India
Thanks Sandra for your kind words. I have been following your comments for long now and I am glad you have mellowed a lot. I don't know how compassionate I am but I am grateful if it makes a positive impact on others. Yes, I really wish our planet were a peaceful place ...
Sandra ,
04-02-2008
- Nederlands
Jasmin,
People as compassionate as you- are capable of bringing all people and religions together. I hope that you continue to post, you have a positive affect on a few commentators I know, including myself.
jasmin,
04-02-2008
- India
God bless you Sandra. People act out of compassion at the spur of the moment regardless of their faith. But yes, they might back off if they take longer to think about the faith of the others. It is sad that religion divides rather than uniting.
