Geert Wilders facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Geert Wilders
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Wilders in 2015
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| Leader of the Party for Freedom | |
| Assumed office 22 February 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Leader of the Party for Freedom in the House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office 23 November 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office 26 July 2002 |
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| In office 25 August 1998 – 23 May 2002 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 September 1963 Venlo, Netherlands |
| Political party | PVV (2006–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Spouse |
Krisztina Márfai
(m. 1992) |
| Residence | The Hague |
| Alma mater | Open University of the Netherlands |
| Signature |  |
Geert Wilders (born 6 September 1963) is a Dutch politician. He has led the Party for Freedom (PVV) since he started it in 2006. This party is known for its right-wing to far-right ideas. He is also the leader of his party in the Dutch Parliament. He has been a member of parliament since 1998. Wilders is well-known for his strong opinions about Islam and the European Union (EU). His views have made him a talked-about person in the Netherlands and other countries.
Contents
Early Life and Political Start
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Geert Wilders was born on 6 September 1963 in Venlo, a city in the Netherlands. He was the youngest of four children and grew up in a Catholic family. His father was Dutch, and his mother was born in Indonesia with a mixed Dutch and Indonesian background. His father worked for a printing company.
After finishing high school, Wilders wanted to travel the world. He went to Israel and volunteered for a year on a moshav, which is a type of farming community. He then traveled to nearby Arab countries. He was surprised by the lack of democracy in those places. When he returned to the Netherlands, he kept a strong sense of connection to Israel.
Wilders first worked in health insurance. His interest in this area led him into politics. He became a speechwriter for the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). From 1990 to 1998, he worked as an assistant to the party leader, Frits Bolkestein. He focused on foreign policy, which is about how a country deals with other countries. During this time, Wilders traveled a lot in the Middle East. Bolkestein was one of the first Dutch politicians to talk about the effects of many immigrants coming to the Netherlands. He also openly criticized Muslim immigrants. Bolkestein's ideas and direct way of speaking influenced Wilders a lot.
Political Career and Party for Freedom
In 1997, Wilders was elected to the city council of Utrecht for the VVD party. A year later, he was elected to the national parliament. In 2002, he became a public spokesperson for the VVD. He became known for speaking out against extreme forms of Islam.
Because of his strong views, tensions grew within the VVD party. In September 2004, Wilders left the VVD to start his own political group. This group was first called Groep Wilders, and later became the Party for Freedom (PVV).
The Party for Freedom has several goals:
- Lowering taxes.
- Investing more money in roads and other important structures.
- Building nuclear power plants.
- Including animal rights in the Dutch constitution.
In the 2006 Dutch parliamentary election, the PVV won 9 out of 150 seats. This was their first election.
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In the elections on 9 June 2010, the PVV grew a lot. They won 24 seats, up from 9, getting 15.5% of all votes. This made the PVV the third-largest party in the Netherlands.
In the 2021 Dutch general election, the PVV received 10.79% of the votes. This gave them 17 seats in the House of Representatives.
Main Political Ideas
Wilders looks up to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as his biggest political role model.
Wilders has strong opinions about the Dutch political system. In March 2006, he shared his political plan called Klare Wijn ("Clear Wine"). This plan included ten main points:
- He wanted to greatly lower taxes and reduce government rules.
- He aimed to change the first article of the Dutch constitution. This article currently ensures everyone is equal under the law. Wilders wanted it to state that Christian, Jewish, and humanist traditions are most important culturally.
- He wanted to reduce the power of the European Union (EU). He believed the EU should not add new member countries, especially Turkey. He also wanted to get rid of the European Parliament and reduce the money the Netherlands pays to the EU.
- He proposed stopping immigration for five years for non-Western foreigners who want to live in the Netherlands. He also wanted to take away the right for foreign residents to vote in local elections.
- He suggested a five-year stop on building new mosques and Islamic schools. He also wanted a permanent ban on preaching in any language other than Dutch. Foreign imams would not be allowed to preach. He wanted to close radical mosques and remove radical Muslims from the country.
- He aimed to improve education standards, focusing on the importance of family values in learning.
- He wanted to introduce binding referendums, where citizens vote directly on laws. He also wanted mayors, police chiefs, and prime ministers to be elected by the people.
- He proposed setting minimum punishments for crimes and increasing maximum punishments. He also wanted to allow holding terror suspects without trial. He suggested that street crime should be punished with boot camps and that immigrant offenders could lose their citizenship and be sent away.
- He wanted to show more respect and offer better pay for teachers, police officers, healthcare workers, and military personnel.
- He aimed for a simpler and more caring healthcare system, especially for older citizens.
Personal Life
Geert Wilders is married to Krisztina Wilders (whose maiden name was Márfai). She used to be a diplomat from Hungary.
Awards and Recognition
- Oriana Fallaci Free Speech Award in 2009
- Nominated for Sakharov Prize in 2010
- Dutch Politician of the Year in 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2024 (shared with Henri Bontenbal)
- The Hungarian Order of Merit in 2022
Images for kids
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Wilders (left) during the final debate of the 2006 election
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Wilders speaking in 2019
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Wilders (alongside Donald Trump, Nigel Farage, Marine Le Pen) named as fascists during a 2017 march in Amsterdam
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Speaking at CPAC Hungary 2024
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Wilders speaking at a Lega Nord congress in Italy
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See also
In Spanish: Geert Wilders para niños
