Wilders’ defeat blunts populist surge

The victory of Dutch Prime Minster Mark Rutte in the parliamentary election against anti-Islam, Eurosceptic Geert Wilders hammered a nail in the coffin of Europe’s misplaced populism. Initial results suggested Rutte’s party won 32 seats, 13 more than Wilders’ party 19 seats.
Rutte’s good show and a disappointing defeat of Geert Wilders in the Netherlands election have invigorated traditional parties across Europe from left and right. Rutte’s five years of tough economic measures put him on the glide path of victory, which appeared threatened by the populist surge across Europe. But in the Netherlands, Wilders’ relentless campaign against anything and everything Muslim and EU failed to give him the ‘magic number’ in the parliament. Wilders defeat brings relief in the European Union and blunts populist surge.
After the shock victory of Donald Trump as US president in November, Wilders surged, and at one point looked like he could get close to one of four Dutch voters behind him. Now, he has been relegated to very distance second. Rutte’s victory is a proof that the populist tide can be stopped. The Netherlands election result provided France and Germany bulwark against populism.
Such was the relief that German Chancellor Angela Merkel called to congratulate him at a time when only exit polls were in. Germany holds a general election next September when the virulent anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party is expected to enter Parliament for the first time. The challenge now for candidates like France’s Le Pen is to keep up the momentum of her campaign against immigrants, the political elite and European unity.
Both France and Germany have elections this year in which far-right candidates and parties are hoping to make an impact. The high turnout that helped Rutte to victory shows that a populist threat can mobilize voters more or less happy with the status quo. It’s a good sign for the second round of the French presidential election in May.
Although the Dutch elections are a perfect start for the electoral year because the populists and the anti-Europeans failed, it’s unlikely to extinguish the anti-immigrant, anti-establishment sentiment that has been blazing around Europe. Anti-immigration sentiment runs deep in Dutch society. Not only Geert Wilders’ PVV, but also a number of other parties, including Rutte’s VVD, are in favour of tighter immigration controls and a more demanding approach to integrating newcomers, which would make it harder for Middle Easterners and North Africans to keep their
Muslim identity.
Rutte campaign is itself not completely unblemished. He too propped his position with populist crutches. The Dutch PM drew fire for his remarks that Muslim immigrants “act normal or leave.”
With Wilders’ populist threat gone, at least for now, the Netherlands must address integration problem. If not, then there is every possible chance that in the next election cycle it may resurface in the form of far-right challenge. It is only multiculturalism that can win elections against many future Geert Wilders.