- The far-right Party for Freedom leader has faced a large number of death threats
The assassination attempt on Donald Trump could be replicated against politicians in Europe, Dutch populist leader Geert Wilders has warned, because of ‘hatred’ towards right-wing figures.
The far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) leader, who is a power player in the Dutch coalition government, has been the target of violence throughout his career and says he receives multiple death threats every day.
Wilders joined fellow European politicians and Trump allies – including Reform UK MP Nigel Farage and Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico – in blaming the liberal media for inciting hatred towards the former US president.
‘The hate rhetoric from many leftish politicians and media, who label right-wing politicians as racists and Nazis is not without consequences,’ Wilders said. ‘They are playing with fire.’
His comments come as politicians of all political stripes in the UK and across Europe face increased threats while out in public or on the campaign trail, with the dangers posed to British MPs highlighted during the recent election.
On the situation in his country, Wilders said on X: ‘What happened in the US can also happen in the Netherlands. Don’t underestimate it.
‘The hatred towards right-wing politicians is also unprecedented in our country. Their security should be significantly increased where necessary.’
The PVV leader, who has long been described as a ‘Dutch Trump’ due to his nationalistic views and appearance, went on to issue his latest endorsement of the Republican presidential candidate.
‘I love America. The strength and perseverance of the American people is unprecedented,’ he said.
‘I trust the 45th President will become the 47th President. No one deserves it more than President Trump.’
Wilders, who is known for his anti-Islam and anti-immigration stance has been an MP in the Netherlands for more than 20 years, is no stranger to threats against his life.
He received at least half of the total 1,125 death threats made against Dutch politicians in 2022, according to the Threatened Politicians Team at The Hague.
Fellow European populist Fico narrowly survived an assassination attempt earlier this year, when he was shot multiple times in the abdomen by an activist and government critic.
Fico accused Trump’s enemies of inciting the attack on him, saying his ‘political opponents try to shut him up and when that fails, they antagonise the public so much that some loser picks up a gun.’
Responding to the news in the UK, newly elected MP Farage, a close friend of Trump, blamed what he called the ‘mainstream media’ for spreading ‘a narrative of hatred’ against him.
Appearing on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Farage said: ‘I was very upset and I’m still upset.
‘I’m obviously pleased that my friend Donald has got away with it, only just, but he’s got away with it.
‘But one person is dead. Two more are fighting for their lives in hospital so it’s an absolutely horrendous incident and yet somehow I’m not shocked by it.’
Farage, who had a milkshake and wet cement thrown at him during the election campaign, said Trump and politicians in the UK now have to balance security with meeting voters.
‘The problem with this is, how do you go out and campaign? Think of John Major 30 years ago, a soap box in market squares, you couldn’t do that today,’ he said.
‘So we finish up with our political leaders never meeting a voter, never meeting the public. I suspect knowing Trump as I do, he will carry on regardless.’
Attacks on politicians in Europe have come from both left and right-wing extremists in recent years, and at representatives of all political persuasions.
It emerged earlier this year that three female MPs – including members from Labour and the Conservatives – had been given bodyguards amid growing concerns over politicians’ safety.
During the election, Labour MP Rushanara Ali told the BBC that she needed police protection during her re-election bid.
Back in 2016, Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered by a far-right extremist in her constituency of Birstall, West Yorkshire.
Speaking about the attempt on Trump’s life, the late MP’s husband Brendan Cox said there was ‘zero justification’ for the shooting but that Trump had ‘incited and inflamed political violence himself.’
‘I feel sympathy, I feel pain for the fear his family must have felt at that moment… He also has some culpability in creating an environment where violence is more likely,’ he told LBC on Sunday.
Meanwhile Commons Leader Lucy Powell warned on Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that there has been a rise in violence against politicians in the UK as well as in the US.
‘Clearly we have seen a rise in intimidation and attacks on serving politicians or people who want to be politicians in this country too,’ she said.
While the Labour MP said the election was one of the ‘great things about our democracy’, she added: ‘But we have to remember that underneath that, there has been this growing sense of insecurity and hate and attacks.’
‘It is something that we need to take action on,’ she said.
She added that some colleagues had ‘real difficulties’ while campaigning, telling Sky: ‘They have seen intimidation in the streets when campaigning, they have seen some intimidatory activity around and nearby polling stations.
‘We have seen some deepfakes being shared online about individuals that have turned out to be completely wrong, we have seen misinformation shared that fuels hatred and has a dehumanising effect on individuals.’