SBS.com.au stock.
Geert Wilders has been defeated, which is at least some relief in the current wave of white nationalism going around.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte appeared Wednesday to have easily defeated a strong challenge by far-right rival Geert Wilders in a key election seen as a bellwether of populist support in Europe.
According to exit polls, Rutte’s Liberal VVD would scoop up 31 seats, making it the largest party in the new 150-seat parliament, with Wilders and his Freedom Party (PVV) beaten into second place alongside two other parties on 19 seats.
Millions of Dutch had flocked to the polls in a near-record turnout, with the stakes high in an election pitting the pro-European Rutte against his anti-immigration and anti-EU rival.
Following last year’s shock Brexit referendum and Donald Trump’s victory in the US, the Dutch vote was being closely watched as a gauge of the strength of populism on the continent ahead of crucial elections in France and Germany.
Full story here.
While not winning is good news equal second is still far too many votes for my liking.
Geez, doesn’t the guy know he’s supposed to have a long haired cat to stroke ominously while standing in the shadows plotting his super-villainy? No wonder he couldn’t get enough votes to win.
Bargearse:
I agree. Not winning is a relief though, even by a slim margin.
Kengi, I know, I know! That photo…
Bargrease
While one vote for the neo-fascists is one vote too many, you have to look at “equal second” in the context of a large number of parties. It is not that large fraction a of the vote. If all the other major parties are to the left of Wilders, then an overwhelming majority voted against him.
Bare arse & Bar grease? Thank you both for the best laugh I’ve had this week.
From what I know of the Dutch system of government Wilders was unlikely to get a win
bare arse & bar grease
ohlord
I think I hurt myself
Thankfully the “Trump effect” they all hoped for seems to have backfired.
AfD in Germany is polling weaker than it used to.
Poor cat.
Saad @9:
That is exactly what I was thinking.
Dutch guy speaking here. Though Wilders did not get the overwhelming support some hoped and some feared for (early polls predicted as much as 20%) he grew quite a bit (from 10% in 2012 to 13% now) and he becomes the second largest fraction in our parliament. Chances that other parties will accept him in a coalition are close to zero, but 13% voting for a fascist, Jesus fuck… What a bigoted country we have become.
BTW Rutte’s VVD is about as liberal as Clinton is. Rutte was happy to cooperate with Wilders in 2010, and with the theocrats of the SGP in 2012. Don’t let the name “liberal party” fool you!
Riertpluim #12, perhaps we need to clarify this further for our American friends.
In the context of Western European politics, “liberal” is almost always shorthand for pro-capitalist, anti-tax & anti-regulation, pro-military, tough on crime (if only for appearances) and “unemployment & poverty is always your own fault so fuck you” politics. Sound familiar? Sure these liberals have nothing against gay people, they aren’t too overtly racist and do not make efforts to force religion on anybody, but as Rietpluim says, they will happily work with parties that do if it seems expedient to them.
Rutte’s VVD is only marginally better than Wilders’ PVV. In some ways worse because in comparison with the unhinged Wilders and his stooges they manage to seem almost respectable in the eyes of the public, and internationally.
Beware! Cat torturer!! Hiss!!!
So who’s up next, France?