The rise of MP Geert Wilders‘ right-wing populist party Partij voor de Vrijheid might increase Muslim radicalization. The first and most elaborated point of the PVV’s manifesto, which is titled ‘Nederland weer van ons’, calling upon the Dutch people to take back their country, is the ‘de-Islamization of the Netherlands’.

Illustration homemade jihadism

Wilders keeps on saying he has nothing against Muslims, just against the Islam itself. ‘But people, who have been brought up in accord with the teachings of Islam do not make that distinction’, says Gert van den Berg. He is a researcher at the Nederlands Jeugdinstituut. His recent research includes the connection of right-wing populism and radicalization. By constantly saying the Islam does not belong in the Netherlands, Wilders creates a sense of exclusion, says Van den Berg, ‘especially for young people, who are looking for their identity, which is already hard enough as a member of a minority group.’

In late September this year, the Dutch Expertise-unit for Social Stability published a report about trigger-factors for radicalization. According to this report, the anger and frustration evoked by being discriminated and excluded can make the discriminated person more open to radical ideologies, or will confirm that person’s radical views. Social exclusion drives radicalized people in the arms of radical groups, where they find likeminded people, who understand their struggle in society. By reducing Islam to a violence-potent and terroristic group, Wilders might fan the flames of the very problem he is fighting.

The PVV’s manifesto stresses the potential of violence of the Islam, while Islam experts have repeatedly emphasized, that the teachings of the Islam do not coincide with the views of radical groups. On the website of the Dutch National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV), Jihadism is among the most searched for topics. The first subheading of the NCTV’s webpage dedicated to Jihadism, violent extremism, is: Jihad is not the Islam. ‘The vast majority of Muslims see terrorism as un-Islamic and has difficulty that their religion is associated with terrorism.’

Geert Wilders has just been convicted for discriminating and insulting Moroccans, but was acquitted of encouraging hate. The court in Amsterdam did not impose any punishment on Wilders. The conviction does not affect his status as a member of parliament. In March 2017, the Netherlands will hold parliamentary elections. At the moment, Wilders and the Partij voor de Vrijheid are leading in the polls.