Geert Wilders, the leader of the Freedom Party (PVV) in the Netherlands, has called on Muslims who value the Quran more than secular laws to leave the country.
Geert Wilders has urged Muslims who find the Quran more important than the law of the land to leave the country. The leader of the Freedom Party (PVV) in the Netherlands, likely to be the next prime minister of the Netherlands, was heard saying so in an unverified video.
“I have a message for all the Muslims in the Netherlands who do not respect our freedom, our democracy and our core values, who find the rules of the Quran more important than our secular laws," he purportedly said.
“There are many of those. Research by Professor Koompans shows there are 7 lakh. And, my message to them is: Get out! Leave for an Islamic country. Then, you can enjoy Islamic rules. Those are their rules, but not ours," he added.
"Today, tomorrow or the day after, the PVV will be part of government and I will be prime minister of this beautiful country," Wilders earlier wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Wilders declared his readiness to adjust his positions to form a government. Despite his party winning the most seats in the recent election, the PVV is projected to hold only 25% of seats in the Dutch parliament, necessitating collaboration with other parties for governance.
The conservative VVD Party, under new leader Dilan Yesilgoz, hasn't dismissed the possibility of supporting a Wilders-led government from the outside. They've, however, ruled out cabinet participation. Meanwhile, Pieter Omtzigt from the centrist NSC Party sees challenges in aligning with Wilders due to his extreme views, which might conflict with the Dutch constitution's religious freedom protections.
Coalition talks in the Netherlands often extend over several months, with shifting positions on party cooperation. If Wilders fails to form a government, more centrist alliances excluding the PVV could emerge, with new elections being a last resort, as per Reuters.
