The hard-right’s champion blows up the Dutch government

GEERT WILDERS has been trying to ride anti-immigrant sentiment to the top of Dutch politics ever since he founded his Party for Freedom (PVV) in 2006. In an election in 2023 the hard-right populist finally succeeded, finishing first with 23.5% of the vote. His party became the biggest in government, though led by a compromise prime minister rather than by Mr Wilders. The PVV leader promised the toughest asylum policy ever, cheaper health-care and various other boons. But as the months went by, almost none of his pledges came to fruition. Some were stranded in ministries or the courts; others fell to budget concerns. On June 3rd Mr Wilders pulled the plug on the coalition he had dominated, complaining that other parties had sabotaged his immigration plans.