Far-right Dutch MEP Predicts Come-back For Nationalist Parties
Umer Jamshaid Published September 07, 2019 | 10:47 PM
Far-right Dutch MEP Geert Wilders on Saturday said nationalist parties were experiencing "tough" times but predicted that they would make a come-back
"It's a tough time. We will come back," Wilders said, speaking at an event in northern Italy.
"I believe there is a lot of support among the people, especially on the issue of immigration," he added.
Wilders's anti-Islam party lost four seats in the European Parliament election in May, which saw the Social Democrat party thrive in the Netherlands.
Italy's far-right League party leader Matteo Salvini, who withdrew his party from a government coalition in August, has said the new pro-European Italian government, sworn in on Thursday, had been "formed on the indications of Paris, Berlin and Brussels".
But Wilders rejected the idea of a "European plan to get rid" of nationalist parties.
He nevertheless admitted that they were "isolated" and that "many parties" did not want to work with them.
"We are never defeated because we have the right policy and also successes," Wilders said, pointing to the popularity of parties such as Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD), France's National Rally, the far-right FPO in Austria and Italy's League.
Wilders said it was "a very sad thing" that Salvini was no longer in government.
"Salvini did an excellent work as interior minister to deal with the NGO ships and give the message that not everybody is welcomed to come to Europe from Africa," he said.
Wilders, who was speaking at the "Intelligence on the World, Europe and Italy" forum at a hotel on Lake Como, rejects the far-right label and defines his party as "a patriotic party".
He has called for the Netherlands to exit the European Union.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
Woman stabbed in Israel, attacker killed: police
More Stories From World
-
NFL will allow players to wear Guardian Cap helmets in games
5 hours ago -
Football: German Bundesliga table
5 hours ago -
Football: Italian Serie A result
5 hours ago -
Football: German Bundesliga results
5 hours ago -
US troops to leave Chad in second African state withdrawal
5 hours ago -
Plastics pollution may be solved without production cap: Canada minister
5 hours ago
-
Biden stalls on menthol cigarette ban fearing Black vote backlash
5 hours ago -
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
5 hours ago -
6,000 French police to welcome Olympic torch amid bonus boost
5 hours ago -
Taiwan hit by several quakes, strongest reaching 6.1-magnitude
6 hours ago -
'Ballistic' Bairstow stars as Punjab pull off record T20 chase
6 hours ago -
Tennis: ATP/WTA Madrid Open results - 2nd update
6 hours ago