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[[File:Rotterdam-DSC.jpg|thumb|Geert Wilders|200px]]

[[File:Rotterdam-DSC.jpg|thumb|Geert Wilders|200px]]

'''Geert Wilders''' (born September 6, 1963<ref name="Wilders">http://www.geertwilders.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=190&Itemid=110</ref>) is a [[Euroskeptic]] [[Netherlands|Dutch]] politician. He is the leader of the [[right-wing]] [[Party for Freedom]] (PVV). He has been a member of the Dutch parliament since 1998. He is well known for his struggle against [[multiculturalism]] and for [[free speech]] in the Netherlands. Lately his efforts to broadcast his movie ''[[Fitna]]'', which is critical of [[Islam]], have been opposed by many Dutch politicians and even the United Nations Secretary-General, who in calling for the film to be censored, nevertheless stated "the right of freedom of expression is not at stake here."<ref>http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN2844232220080328?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=22&sp=true</ref>

'''Geert Wilders''' (born September 6, 1963<ref name="Wilders">http://www.geertwilders.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=190&Itemid=110</ref>) is a [[Euroskeptic]] [[Netherlands|Dutch]] politician. He is the leader of the [[right-wing]] [[Party for Freedom]] (PVV). He has been a member of the Dutch parliament since 1998. He is well known for his struggle against [[multiculturalism]] and for [[free speech]] in the Netherlands.

Wilders wrote:

Wilders wrote:

* Islam is primarily a [[totalitarian]] ideology rather than a religion. I feel sorry for the Arab, Persian, Indian and Indonesian peoples who have to live under the yoke of Islam. It is a belief system that marks [[apostate]]s for death, forces critics into hiding and denies our Western tradition of individual freedom. Without freedom, there can be no prosperity and no [[pursuit of happiness]]. More Islam means less life, less liberty and less happiness.<ref>[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/may/4/resisting-threat-of-fanatical-islam/ Resisting threat of fanatical Islam: West must not surrender permanent liberty for temporary tolerance]</ref>

* Islam is primarily a [[totalitarian]] ideology rather than a religion. I feel sorry for the Arab, Persian, Indian and Indonesian peoples who have to live under the yoke of Islam. It is a belief system that marks [[apostate]]s for death, forces critics into hiding and denies our Western tradition of individual freedom. Without freedom, there can be no prosperity and no [[pursuit of happiness]]. More Islam means less life, less liberty and less happiness.<ref>[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/may/4/resisting-threat-of-fanatical-islam/ Resisting threat of fanatical Islam: West must not surrender permanent liberty for temporary tolerance]</ref>

Due to his strong emphasis on free speech and anti-Islam policy, he has strong political enemies. His main opponents are Alexander Pechtold  (from D66, a liberal socialist party), Jesse Klaver (from the socialist GroenLinks) and Lodewijk Asscher (from PVDA, the Dutch labor party).

Lately his efforts to broadcast his movie ''[[Fitna]]'', which is critical of [[Islam]], have been opposed by many Dutch politicians and even the United Nations Secretary-General, who in calling for the film to be censored, nevertheless stated "the right of freedom of expression is not at stake here."<ref>http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN2844232220080328?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=22&sp=true</ref>

His strong views on Islam have caused many attempts on his life, and as such he has been under permanent police protection since 2004.

Wilders strongly supports [[Israel]]. Wilders celebrated U.S. President [[Donald Trump]]'s decision to recognize [[Jerusalem]] as the capital city of Israel and to eventually move the embassy there.<ref>https://twitter.com/geertwilderspvv/status/938478822063788032</ref>

In the 2017 elections, although the PVV did not achieve a massive victory as hoped, it saw a rise in votes at the same time when [[establishment]] parties either declined or collapsed.<ref>Lane, Oliver JJ (March 15, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/03/15/dutch-elections-pyrrhic-victory-as-mainstream-party-clings-to-power/ Dutch Elections: Pyrrhic Victory As Mainstream Party Clings to Power]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 15, 2017.</ref> Establishment "conservative" [in-name-only] Prime Minister [[Mark Rutte]]<ref>[http://dw.com/p/2WGTt Dutch PM Rutte issues open letter wooing right-wing voters]. ''Deutsche Welle''. January 23, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2017.</ref> and several political parties did shift their stances to the political Right in order to attract voters who would otherwise have supported Wilders.<ref name="Euronews3/16/17">Harris, Chris (March 16, 2017). [http://www.euronews.com/2017/03/16/five-takeaways-from-the-netherlands-election Five takeaways from the Netherlands' election]. ''Euronews''. Retrieved March 16, 2017.</ref> Rutte's diplomatic battle with Turkey just before the election served as an example of this.<ref name="Euronews3/16/17"/><ref>Pieters, Janene (March 15, 2017). [http://nltimes.nl/2017/03/15/row-turkey-will-boost-support-pm-rutte-dutch-election-analysts Row With Turkey will Boost Support for PM Rutte in Dutch Election: Analysis]. ''nltimes.nl''. Retrieved March 15, 2017.</ref>

In the 2017 elections, although the PVV did not achieve a massive victory as hoped, it saw a rise in votes at the same time when [[establishment]] parties either declined or collapsed.<ref>Lane, Oliver JJ (March 15, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/03/15/dutch-elections-pyrrhic-victory-as-mainstream-party-clings-to-power/ Dutch Elections: Pyrrhic Victory As Mainstream Party Clings to Power]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 15, 2017.</ref> Establishment "conservative" [in-name-only] Prime Minister [[Mark Rutte]]<ref>[http://dw.com/p/2WGTt Dutch PM Rutte issues open letter wooing right-wing voters]. ''Deutsche Welle''. January 23, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2017.</ref> and several political parties did shift their stances to the political Right in order to attract voters who would otherwise have supported Wilders.<ref name="Euronews3/16/17">Harris, Chris (March 16, 2017). [http://www.euronews.com/2017/03/16/five-takeaways-from-the-netherlands-election Five takeaways from the Netherlands' election]. ''Euronews''. Retrieved March 16, 2017.</ref> Rutte's diplomatic battle with Turkey just before the election served as an example of this.<ref name="Euronews3/16/17"/><ref>Pieters, Janene (March 15, 2017). [http://nltimes.nl/2017/03/15/row-turkey-will-boost-support-pm-rutte-dutch-election-analysts Row With Turkey will Boost Support for PM Rutte in Dutch Election: Analysis]. ''nltimes.nl''. Retrieved March 15, 2017.</ref>

==Biography==

==Biography==

Geert Wilders was born in Venlo, Limburg. He was raised as a Catholic but left the church at age 18 and nowadays considers himself an [[agnostic]].<ref>http://www.geertwilders.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1702&Itemid=1</ref> His political career started in 1990. In that year he became an assistant of [[Frits Bolkestein]], leader of the conservative liberal party [[VVD]]. In 1998 he was elected as a member of the parliament. Later he formed his own political party, the PVV.

Wilders was born in Venlo, Limburg. He was raised as a Catholic but left the church at age 18 and nowadays considers himself an [[agnostic]].<ref>http://www.geertwilders.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1702&Itemid=1</ref> His political career started in 1990. In that year he became an assistant of [[Frits Bolkestein]], leader of the conservative liberal party [[VVD]]. In 1998 he was elected as a member of the parliament. Later he formed his own political party, the PVV.

Wilders lived in [[Israel]] for a few years, where he worked as a volunteer for the  moshav [[Tomer]] (located in the [[West Bank]]).<ref>http://www.jta.org/2014/04/29/news-opinion/world/geert-wilders-and-dutch-jews-end-of-the-affair</ref> In this period he travelled to multiple neighbouring countries, which have an major Muslim population, he had the impression that democracy did not exist in these countries during this travel.

Wilders lived in [[Israel]] for a few years, where he worked as a volunteer for the  moshav [[Tomer]] (located in the [[West Bank]]).<ref>http://www.jta.org/2014/04/29/news-opinion/world/geert-wilders-and-dutch-jews-end-of-the-affair</ref> In this period he travelled to multiple neighbouring countries, which have an major Muslim population, he had the impression that democracy did not exist in these countries during this travel.

Between 1997 and 1998 he was a member of the City Council of [[Utrecht]], where he lived in the disctrict Kanaleneiland.

Between 1997 and 1998 he was a member of the City Council of [[Utrecht]], where he lived in the disctrict Kanaleneiland.