Employers hostile to Wilders

The Freedom Party shockwave

The populist Freedom Party (PVV) had 9 seats in parliament between 2006 and now. The 24 seat victory of Geert Wilders' Freedom Party in the June 9 elections sent a shockwave through The Netherlands. And one of the ships hit by the PVV shockwave is the Dutch business world and they are truly unsettled. Their mouthpieces, the employers' federation has warned in March against the rise of the PVV:

The head of the Dutch employers' federation has accused far-right politician Geert Wilders of "seriously" damaging Dutch interests abroad.

Bernard Wientjes, who chairs the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers (VNO-NCW), said it was outrageous that Mr Wilders recently presented himself in London as the next Dutch prime minister and then derided Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as "a complete fool". Mr Wilders' statement, which was broadcast around the world, caused shock in the British press.

Mr Wientjes, who heads the largest employers' organisation VNO-NCW in the Netherlands, says Mr Wilders poses a serious threat to the Netherlands and the Dutch economy. He underlined that three quarters of Dutch GDP comes from revenue earned abroad.

Mr Wientjes stressed that his federation will do business with any Dutch cabinet, including one joined by Mr Wilders' PVV party. But he emphasised that he hoped Mr Wilders party would not be included in the next government following parliamentary elections on 9 June.

And on Friday bussiness daily FD (Financieele Dagblad) published the responses of the chairmen of the employers federations FME-CWM, MKB-Nederland,Holland Financial Centre and VNO-NCW what kind of a government they want on their frontpage. All of the federation are rooting for a coalition which exludes the PVV. In an half page interview inside Mr. Wientjes of VNO-NCW again insisted that he hopes that a centre righwing or a centre leftwing government without PVV is formed. Mr. Wientjes was shocked by the good showing of the PVV and the Socialist SP despite their weakness in the polls. He mourned the weakening of the political centre. He regretted the evident splintering of Dutch politics and could not give a reason for the strength of the PVV apart from his strength in the television debates.

Islamisation is okay

This shows that the business world is hostile to the rightwing surge in The Netherlands. Business is opposed to a brake on mass immigration and the islamisation of The Netherlands. For them a good business climate and good relation with international trading partners take precedence over the continuity and security of the the nation.