A Populist on the Verge of Power – WSJ

Geert Wilders doesn t like it when he s described as extreme, though over his quarter-century in the Dutch Parliament he s given his critics plenty of ammunition. In a 2008 interview with the Journal, Mr. Wilders described his message for Muslim immigrants: You have to give up this stupid, fascist book the Quran. This is what you have to do. You have to give up that book.

Fifteen years later, Mr. Wilders, 60, sings a softer tune. If people and other parties really believe that banning the Quran and closing down mosques or Islamic schools is a problem because they find it s unconstitutional, then I can put those points aside, whatever I may think of them, he says. He pauses and repeats the point: If other parties say, This is unacceptable for us, I ll put them aside.

Mr. Wilders s conciliative attitude is a product of political success. There s a real chance he ll be the Netherlands next prime minister. Last month his Party for Freedom, known by the Dutch acronym PVV, won 37 of the 150 seats in snap elections for the Dutch House of Representatives, beating 14 other parties and expanding its representation by 20 seats.

via www.wsj.com