Geert Wilders

Geert Wilders (born 6 September 1963) is a Dutch politician who has led the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) since he founded it in 2006. He is also the party's leader in the House of Representatives. Wilders is best known for his right-wing populism, anti-immigration, opposition to Islam, and Euroscepticism. His views have made him a controversial figure in the Netherlands and abroad. Since 2004, he has been protected at all times by armed police. After his education, Wilders travelled to Israel and other countries within the Middle East, working for insurance councils. In 1990, Wilders became a staff member of the conservative-liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). He was elected to the municipal council of Utrecht in 1997. The following year he was elected to the House of Representatives. Citing irreconcilable differences over the party's position on the accession of Turkey to the European Union, he left the VVD in 2004 to form his own party, the Party for Freedom. His party provided confidence and supply to the first Rutte cabinet (2010–2012) and was the largest party in the Schoof cabinet (2024–2025). Wilders has campaigned to stop what he views as the "Islamisation of the Netherlands". He has compared the Quran to Mein Kampf and has campaigned to have the book banned in the Netherlands. He advocates ending immigration from Muslim countries, and banning the construction of new mosques. His controversial 2008 short film featuring his views on Islam, Fitna, received international attention and criticism. On 4 September 2020, a Dutch court convicted Wilders for group insults, following comments he made about Moroccans in the Netherlands.