Dutch begin voting in local elections, anti-immigration parties set to gain ground

Dutch anti-immigrants set to make gains in vote

AMSTERDAM — Dutch voters went to the polls in local elections Wednesday, with political parties opposing Muslim immigration expected to make gains before national elections in June.

The elections in 394 cities in theory cover matters such as parking fees and taxes on dog ownership. But national politicians have put their stances on the NATO mission in Afghanistan and immigrant crime on display in hopes of influencing the local vote.

The party of prominent anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders is participating in only two cities: The Hague, where most opinion polls put it in second place, and Almere, where it is running neck-and-neck with left-leaning Labor.

Wilders decided his Freedom Party, formed in 2004, lacks candidates of sufficient quality to compete credibly in other municipalities.

Wilders is facing prosecution for allegedly inciting racial hatred with remarks including calling the Quran a “fascist” book and calling for it to be banned.

Squaring off with Labor leader Wouter Bos in a televised pre-election debate, Wilders called for a ban on immigration from Muslim countries and especially Moroccans because “they cause problems, they cause crime, they cause intimidation and violence.

“For the people that are already here, I say: if you adapt to Dutch laws and Dutch norms and values, you’re welcome to stay,” Wilders said. “But if you don’t, then you go to jail and as far as I’m concerned out of the country.”

Bos responded that “we’ll only help this nation move forward if we stop thinking in terms of Muslims and non-Muslims.”

He cited examples of a prominent Dutch football player, a comedian and a politician of Moroccan ancestry and that he doubted their religion influenced their abilities.

“I think in terms of citizens that participate in society and basically behave and those that don’t,” he said. “What their religion is, that’s not my business.”

After a major immigration wave in the 1990s, Muslims make up about 6 percent of the Dutch population.

Anti-immigrant political parties have been a major force in Dutch politics since the national elections of 2002, when a populist called Pim Fortuyn was assassinated by an animal rights activist days before the vote. His party finished second and joined a right-wing Cabinet.

Wilders is seen as an heir to Fortuyn, and his Freedom Party finished second place among Dutch parties in the European Parliament elections last year.

In the current local elections, left-leaning Labor saw a late surge in opinion polls after walking out of the Cabinet over Dutch involvement in Afghanistan last month.

Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende’s centrist government collapsed, forcing the recall of 1,600 Dutch soldiers in the province of Uruzgan at the end of their mission in August.

Dutch national elections are scheduled for June 9.

Preliminary results Wednesday in many cities are expected around midnight local time, with the official results not due until Friday morning.