Quote:The Dutch tested their own tolerance for immigration and Islam on Wednesday in an election magnified by a furious row with Turkey, the first of three polls in the European Union this year where nationalist parties are seeking breakthroughs.
The center-right VVD party of Prime Minister Mark Rutte, 50, is vying with the PVV (Party for Freedom) of anti-Islam and anti-EU firebrand Geert Wilders, 53, to form the biggest party in parliament.
As many as 13 million voters began casting ballots at polling stations across the country that will close at 2000 GMT. A charged campaign, plus clear skies and sunshine meant high turnout was expected. National broadcaster NOS said that by 0930 GMT in the morning, turnout was at 15 percent, 2 percent ahead of the previous parliamentary election in 2012.
With as many as four out of 10 voters undecided a day before voting and a tight margin of just 4 percent between leading candidates, the outcome was unpredictable.
Wilders, who has vowed to "de-Islamicise" the Netherlands, has little chance of forming a government given that other leading parties have ruled out working with him. But a first place PVV finish would still send shockwaves across Europe.
Ummmm..... Outside of Immigration Geert Wilders is not at all conservative. Consider him a "woke" leftists who sees that islamists pose a threat to the very values which liberals and leftists around the world hold to be true.
This constant conflating of people whos position on immigration and "literally hitler" is why the left is losing ground. You have played that card for too long.
(03-15-2017 03:19 PM)Bull_Is_Back Wrote: [ -> ]Ummmm..... Outside of Immigration Geert Wilders is not at all conservative.
Umm, no. He is pretty damn conservative by Euro standards.
Pro-Israel
Anti-EU
Wants minimum criminal penalties and harsher maximums
Prefers lower taxes
Admires Margaret Thatcher
Wants education controlled by family