Europe is shifting to the right. The pendulum is swinging back. Another unexpected breakthrough was the success of Geert Wilders’s Freedom Party, which stands on a diametrically opposite platform and openly advocates anti-immigration and anti-Islam positions. “We are proud of our culture, and we oppose the rise of Islam in Dutch society. The Netherlands already has enough Muslims and mosques,” the Freedom leader told his supporters on the eve of the election. His views resonated with a considerable number of Dutch voters: the party, which had previously held just one seat in parliament, won nine seats yesterday. Incidentally, it was Mr. Wilders who authored the text of the controversial bill banning the wearing of the burqa in public places, which Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk introduced last week and which Prime Minister Balkenende promised to push through parliament in the future. http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.html?docId=724469
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