Dutch prosecutors want 12-year sentence for cricketer accused of placing bounty on populist figurehead Wilders
FOX NewsAug 23, 2023
Netherlands Tries Pakistani Men for Incitement to Kill Wilders
Above: PVV leader Geert Wilders seen during the plenary debate in the Tweede Kamer parliament on November 3, 2020 in The Hague, Netherlands. Image copyright: BSR Agency/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Dutch prosecutors have sought a 14-year sentence for Muhammad Ashraf Asif Jalali, a religious leader from Pakistan who allegedly issued death threats to Party for Freedom leader Geert Wilders.
Jalali's compatriot Saad Hussain Rizvi, leader of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan party, has also been accused of inciting his followers to kill Wilders. Both Jalali and Rizvi are Muslim.
The Spin
Narrative A
Geert Wilders' right-wing politics, and anti-immigration and anti-Islamic stance, pose a significant threat to Dutch society. His extreme views promote division and intolerance, normalize xenophobia, and undermine democratic institutions. His "illiberal democracy" concept, which prioritizes the will of native Dutch supporters over established laws, could undermine the rule of law.
Narrative B
Europe cannot continue to dismiss Wilders' platform as rhetorical intolerance and extremism. His political arguments have clearly resonated with the electorate, and the EU has contributed to his success at the ballot box by failing to take seriously voters' concerns about immigration and security. Even if Wilders' words are distasteful or even intolerant, they've been prompted by instances of violent crime that have struck fear into the Dutch electorate.