Senior Frans Timmermans62 years old and former vice president European Commissionaims to lead the change of power in the general elections Holland this Wednesday. block between you social democrats and greens It is presented as the only possible antidote against a supported right-wing government. far right even under the domination of radicals. The elections will mark the end of the term of Mark Rutte, the apostle of fiscal frugality who nearly blocked Europe’s post-pandemic recovery fund. The Prime Minister of the Netherlands will leave his post, which he has held for 13 years, in the middle of a panorama major political fragmentation. This would complete the withdrawal announced last summer after an administration marked by infighting in successive coalitions, the last of which favored the creation of a new center commanded by MPs. Pieter Omtzigt.
Polls pointed to a tie between the two countries. Rutte’s VVDnow under the leadership Dilan Yeşilgözadvocate Hard line against immigrationTimmermans block and Omtzigt MGKall under 20% of the vote. The final stage was reached with a slight advantage for the left alternative. This is the only option that rules out governing with popular support. Far-right Geert Wildersleader PVVFourth power in the polls, but with a strong upward trend in the latter part of the campaign.
These are snap elections held after Rutter’s coalition collapsed in July. Outgoing prime minister reportedly aspires to succeed Norway’s Jens Stoltenberg NATO Secretary GeneralAlthough there is no official confirmation. This will be a forward flight by a politician with high survival skills who pushes the boundaries of liberalism in domestic politics.
New Omtzigt center
The very destruction caused by Rutte’s liberalism was the trump card that allowed Omtzigt to position himself as a real option for victory in the elections. this politician 49 years, He leads his own party, which identifies as neither right nor left, for which he has been an MP for twenty years. He himself assured that he does not wish to become the head of the next government.
His political option began to emerge as a result of the “administrative error” scandal that almost led to bankruptcy in 2019. 25,000 households receive family assistance. Almost a thousand of them even lost custody of a child because they were deprived of the minimum income that would guarantee the subsistence of their family unit. Omtzigt became the standard bearer for citizens in such situations. He is not a dramatic leader and does not seek easy populism; Rather, he campaigned for something seemingly lethargic like administrative renewal, continuation of subsidies, etc. immigration restrictionsthe common denominator of all the forces of the center and ultra-Dutch radicalism in this campaign.
Leader with immigrant origin will replace Rutte
Green eyeOr, in his own words, in this campaign, Dilan would represent VVD’s continuity in power. The 46-year-old Turkish refugee came to the Netherlands as a child with his parents and spent time on the left. But now he argues lock migration In a country that a few decades ago ceased to be a place open to the arrival of refugees and where the far right has gained strength as a normalized party.
Rutte emerged chastened by his brief experience supporting the Government with Wilders in his first term. He prevented the country from falling into this situation in successive elections. far right dominance, prevailing against the improving Wilders and even co-vetoing him. A few months after his coalition collapsed due to insurmountable disagreements over the right of refugees to family reunification, it is now up to the former Justice Minister to be first in line.
Wilders’ consolidated far right
Yeşilgöz does not exclude the possibility of forming a coalition with the radicals of Wilders, who, at the age of 60, is under threat for himself. severe IslamophobiaAlthough he has toned down his speech a bit this campaign. He founded his party in 2006, four years after the shock of the assassination of the far-right leader. Pim Fortuyn. He continues to advocate for banning mosques but concedes the country has other “priorities” to attend to. Latest polls point to the rise of a party that was preferred in recent parliaments due to the fragmentation and weakening of the leading and major opposition parties.
In Germany, with a population of 82 million, seven parties are represented in the federal parliament (Bundestag), is watching with astonishment the political fragmentation of its neighbor, which currently has 14 parties in its lower house of 17.6 million citizens. The emergence of new formations such as Omtzigt is noteworthy. But there is also the fact that this new formation, with its theoretical leadership capacity, represents extremist positions from the centre, not from the left or the right, in a country identified with social welfare.