Europe voters swing to Right, say pollsters

[TriWooOx]

Quote:The party of far-right anti-Muslim MP Geert Wilders, who was banned from entering Britain earlier this year for his xenophobic beliefs, has won its first four seats in the European Parliament, according to a Dutch exit poll last night.

The result, which places the Freedom Party second in the Netherlands behind the ruling Christian Democrats and ahead of Labour, suggests that many continental voters will swing behind fringe anti-immigrant parties in the European poll.

An exit poll for the Dutch national broadcaster NOS gave Mr Wilders’s party around 15 per cent of votes, with the ruling right-of-centre party on 20.3 per cent. It confirms forecasts that the Right will be the main victors of this week’s European Parliament elections, with results set to be declared officially in Sunday night after polls have closed in all 27 EU countries.

Mr Wilders, who will not be among his party’s MEPs, lives under police protection after numerous death threats for his outspoken views on closing mosques and blocking immigration in Europe’s most densely populated country.

The party’s message found a resonance in a backlash against the tolerance of immigrants for which the Netherlands has become known. Mr Wilders, 45, instantly recognisable with his shock of dyed platinum hair, last year made a controversial film which portrayed images of extremist violence against a backdrop of the Koran.

“Turkey as [an] Islamic country should never be in the EU, not in 10 years, not in a million years,” he said while campaigning on the slogan "More Netherlands, less Europe".

Explaining his rise in popularity over the past four years, he added: “My supporters say: 'At last there is someone who dares to say what millions of people think'. That is what I do.”

The Christian Democrats’ governing coalition partner, Labour (PvdA), was the biggest loser, plunging to 13.4 per cent, according to the Dutch exit polls.

Mr Wilders flew to London in February for a screening of his film but was turned back at Heathrow airport on the orders of Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, because he was deemed to pose a threat to public order.

Labour leader Wouter Bos said: "The parties that lost the most were those who supported Europe... who defended Europe against a lot of scepticism. It appears that the voters found that unconvincing."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/poli...icle6434628.ece