Party for Freedom

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Party for Freedom - Group Wilders
Partij voor de Vrijheid - Groep Wilders
Image:Logo PVV.png
Leader Geert Wilders
Founded 2006
Headquarters The Hague
Political Ideology Conservative liberalism, Liberal conservatism
International Affiliation none
European Affiliation none
European Parliament Group none
Colours Red, White and Blue
Website www.pvv.nl
See also Politics of the Netherlands

Political parties
Elections
This article is about the Party of Freedom previously known as Group Wilders. For the historic party, see Freedom Party (Netherlands).

The Party for Freedom (Dutch: Partij voor de Vrijheid, PVV) is a Dutch conservative political party. It is led by Geert Wilders, who was the only representative in Dutch parliament of the forerunner of the party, the Group Wilders faction. The party won nine seats in the 2006 general election, making it the fifth largest party in parliament, and third largest opposition party.

Contents

[edit] History

The party's history starts with Geert Wilders' departure from the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) in September 2004. Wilders could not reconcile himself with the VVD positive stance towards Turkey's possible accession to the European Union, and left the party disgruntled.

Although the VVD would have expected Wilders to return his parliamentary seat to party, Wilders refused, and continued to sit in parliament as a one-man faction, Groep Wilders (Group Wilders).

In June 2005, Wilders was one of leaders in the campaign against the European Constitution, that was rejected by Dutch voters by 62%.[1]

Bart Jan Spruyt, director of the conservative Edmund Burke Stichting, joined the party in January 2006, in order to formulate a party programme and to train its prospective representatives for the upcoming national election (then still scheduled for 2007).[2] Spruyt left the party in the summer of 2006, after it proved unable to provide for a greater conservative movement behind it, and people like Joost Eerdmans and Marco Pastors were unwilling to join the party.[3] After the 2006 elections, Spruyt said he wasn't surprised that the Party for Freedom won in the election, but he maintains that if the Party for Freedom sought this cooperation with Eerdmans and Pastors, the party would have won more seats, even enough so to help a possible CDA-VVD cabinet to a majority.[4] Later, Spruyt commented that the PVV had a 'natural tendency' toward fascism.[5] He later qualified the statement, though he didn't withdraw it. Former PVV candidate Lucas Hartong called Spruyt's claims 'a cheap insinuation'.[6]

In a HP/De Tijd profile dated December 2006 the party was described as a cult, with an extremely distrustful Wilders only accepting fellow candidates completely loyal to him, and compared to the SP led by Jan Marijnissen but without reaching that degree of organizational perfection.[7]

On January 10 2007, the PVV declared not to field candidates for the upcoming Provincial elections, this will also lead to the party being unrepresented in the Upper House of Parliament, de Eerste Kamer.[8]

On January 13 2007 NRC Handelsblad reported that a PVV intern had solicited for signatures on the website forums Dutch Disease Report and Polinco, the latter forum being described as far right by various organizations, among them the Dutch Complaints Bureau for Discrimination on the Internet.[9] Any party participating in this election was required to collect at least 30 signatures of party supporters in each of the 19 election districts; of the 1500 signatures the PVV received, the Dutch Antifa group identified 34 known far right supporters. In a response, Wilders said he regretted that far right sympathizers provided signatures, claimed no personal responsibility for the soliciting and repeated his dislike for far-right parties like Front National and Vlaams Belang [10].[11] [12] Noted right-wing publicist Leon de Winter later declared the affair to be the result of a campaign of demonization against Geert Wilders led by NRC Handelsblad and Volkskrant newspapers, as well as the VARA (broadcaster). [13]

[edit] Platform

The Party for Freedom combines economic liberalism with a conservative programme towards immigration and culture. The party seeks tax cuts (€16 billion in the 2006 election programme), de-centralization, abolishment of the minimum wage, limiting of child benefits and government subsidies. Towards immigration and culture, the party believes that the Judeo-Christian and humanist traditions should be treated as the dominant culture in the Netherlands, and that immigrants should adapt accordingly. The party wants a halt to immigration from non-western countries. It is skeptical towards the EU project, is against future EU enlargement with countries like Turkey and opposes the presence of Islam in the Netherlands. The party is also opposed to dual citizenship (see below).

[edit] Parliamentary activity

[edit] Dual nationality

In February 2007, PVV parliamentarian Fritsma introduced a motion that would have prohibited any parliamentarian or executive branch politician from having dual citizenship. The PVV claims that it is unclear where someone's loyalty lies when one has two nationalities; the motion would have made it difficult if not impossible for Labour MPs Ahmed Aboutaleb and Nebahat Albayrak to become members of the new government. The motion had to be retracted though, after heavy pressure from the chairman of parliament, Gerdi Verbeet (Labour Party).[14] University of Maastricht law professor Twan Tak sees a risk in executive branch officials having dual citizenship, and was angered by Verbeet's insistence to close the debate.[15] Despite, the PVV planned to call for a vote of no confidence against junior ministers Aboutaleb and Albayrak when the new cabinet had its first meeting with parliament.[16] Although the parliamentary motion in the end was only supported by the PVV itself[17], an internet poll showed that a majority of Dutch were behind it.[18]

The issue of dual nationality however, was not over yet. On March 2, Radio Netherlands reported that Labour Party MP Khadiya Arib, who was just sworn into parliament the day before, is sitting in a Moroccan commission appointed by the Moroccan king.[19] The PVV held that this commission work by Arib endangers her loyalty to the Netherlands, and that she should choose between being a parliamentarian and sitting in that commission. Geert Wilders said it was shameful that Arib said on national television that her loyalty lies neither in Holland, nor Morocco.[20] The liberal VVD had also problems with Arib's work, saying that her "double orientation would hurt Dutch integration."[21] All other parties were appalled by the PVV and VVD's behaviour.[22]

[edit] Other

In 2007, the party supported the (unsuccessful) parliamentary motion that would remove the moratorium on stem cell research.

[edit] Name

The "Party for Freedom" (Partij voor de Vrijheid) was chosen in order to refer to the Freedom Party (Partij van de Vrijheid), a Dutch political party founded just after the Second World War that eventually merged to form the VVD in 1948.[23]

[edit] Election results (2006-)

Dutch House of Representatives
Election year # of total votes % of overall vote # of seats won
2006 579,490 5,90% 9

[edit] Representation

[edit] Members of the Tweede Kamer

After the 2006 elections the party will have 9 representatives in the Dutch House of Representatives, chosen are:

  • Geert Wilders - parliamentary chairman
  • Fleur Agema, the only female representative, formerly a LPF member and provincial representative for this party, critical of the way subsidies are spent
  • Raymond de Roon, a prosecutor responsible for crime-fighting policies
  • Hero Brinkman, Amsterdam policeman, nicknamed Rambo of the Bellamybuurt[24]
  • Martin Bosma - party secretary, media background worked for CNN, ABC News, NOS News and RTL News
  • Dion Graus, former car salesman and sales representative in veterinary products. NRC Handelsblad alleged on December 10 2006 he had a history of unpaid bills, fraud, lawsuits, disgruntled employers and abusive relations with women [25]. The Dutch justice department later reported that three counts filed against Graus were dismissed [26]. In addition, the Volkskrant on January 27 2007 found several NRC allegation lacking substance (bills payed for after all) and also reported that Graus had the full confidence of party leader Wilders [27].
  • Barry Madlener, formerly city council member of Leefbaar Rotterdam with a background in real estate
  • Teun van Dijck, financial specialist with background in consultancy, Kindergarten buddy of Wilders [7].
  • Sietse Fritsma, former civil servant with Immigration background

[edit] Varia

The Party for Freedom is the only functioning Dutch party without a membership structure. It is as yet impossible for private citizens to become PVV party members. [28]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Dutch say 'No' to EU constitution", BBC News, 2005-06-02.
  2. ^ (Dutch)"Spruyt sluit zich aan bij Geert Wilders", Elsevier, 2006-01-04.
  3. ^ (Dutch)"„Historische kans voorbij”", Reformatorisch Dagblad, 2006-08-17.
  4. ^ (Dutch)"Spruyt: Negeren van Wilders onverstandig", Reformatorisch Dagblad, 2006-11-23.
  5. ^ (Dutch)"Weimar in aanbouw (deel 1)", Bart J. Spruyt, 2007-1-1.
  6. ^ (Dutch)"Het is me wat!", Lucas Hartong, 2007-01-02.
  7. ^ a b (Dutch) Haagse Sekte Alain van der Horst, Kirsten Munk, Joost Niemoller HP/De Tijd December 1 2006
  8. ^ (Dutch)"„Partij Wilders doet niet mee aan Statenverkiezingen"", Volkskrant, 2007-01-10.
  9. ^ (Dutch) MDI jaarverslag 2003
  10. ^ (Dutch) NRC Handelsblad January 13 2007 PVV riep steun van extreem-rechts in Link
  11. ^ (Dutch) Trouw January 13 2007 Wilders ontkent oproep tot steun extreem rechts Link
  12. ^ (Dutch) Volkskrant January 15 2007 Extreem-rechtse steun verdriet Wilders [1]
  13. ^ (Dutch) Elsevier January 15 2007 De demonisering van Geert Wilders [2]
  14. ^ (Dutch)"MPs unimpressed with motion from PVV", Expatica, 2007-02-16.
  15. ^ (Dutch)"'Smoren discussie dubbel paspoort schandalig'", Elsevier, 2007-02-15.
  16. ^ (English)"Dutch politician doubts Muslim ministers' loyalty", Reuters, 2007-02-24.
  17. ^ (English)"Opposition criticises cabinet in debate", Expatica, 2007-03-01.
  18. ^ (English)"Poll: Majority Backs Motion Against Muslim State Secretaries", NIS News, 2007-02-27.
  19. ^ (English)"Dutch MP to serve as advisor to Moroccan king", Radio Netherlands, 2007-03-02.
  20. ^ (Dutch)"Kamer akkoord met Marokkaans advieswerk Arib", Elsevier, 2007-03-08.
  21. ^ (Dutch)"Kamp: Nevenfunctie Arib schaadt integratie", Reformatorisch Dagblad, 2007-03-08.
  22. ^ (Dutch)"Lange dag in de Kamer met veel hatelijkheden", NRC Handelsblad, 2007-03-09.
  23. ^ (Dutch)"Groep Wilders wordt Partij voor de Vrijheid", Elsevier, 2006-02-23.
  24. ^ H. Brinkman - Parlement.com
  25. ^ NRC article on disputed background of Dion GrausNooit Veroordeeld (Never convicted) NRC Handelsblad December 10 2006
  26. ^ [3] Zaken tegen Graus waren geseponeerd, NRC Handelsblad
  27. ^ (Dutch) Volkskrant January 27 2007 Graus pareert de zwaarste aanvallen Link
  28. ^ [4] University of Groningen Documentation Centre of Dutch Political Parties (Documentatiecentrum Nederlandse Politieke Partijen)

[edit] External links

Political parties in the Netherlands
Second Chamber: Christian Democratic Appeal (41) | Labour Party (33) | Socialist Party (25) | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (22) | Party for Freedom (9) | GreenLeft (7) | ChristianUnion (6) | Democrats 66 (3) | Party for the Animals (2) | Political Reformed Party (2)
First Chamber: Christian Democratic Appeal (23) | Labour Party (19) | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (15) | GreenLeft (5) | Socialist Party (4)| Democrats 66 (3) | ChristianUnion (3) | List Pim Fortuyn (1) | Political Reformed Party (1) | Independent Senate Fraction (1)
European Parliament: Christian Democratic Appeal (7) | Labour Party (7) | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (4) | GreenLeft (2) | Socialist Party (2) | Europe Transparent (2) | ChristianUnion/Political Reformed Party  (2) | Democrats 66 (1)
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