Dutch PM Rutte warns "wrong populism" in upcoming elections

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in Amsterdam on Thursday that he hopes the rise of "wrong populism" can be halted during the Dutch general elections on March 15.

With his fear for populism in the Netherlands, Rutte refers to the right wing Party for Freedom (PVV) of Geert Wilders, which is leading the latest polls neck-and-neck with Rutte's party VVD (Liberals).

The truth that the PVV has declined in the polls of recent months still fell short of easing Rutte's worries over his rival.

"There is still a reasonable chance that the PVV becomes the largest party," Rutte told national broadcaster NOS during his campaign in Amsterdam on Thursday. "That would mean that in this European and even global trend of wrong populism the Netherlands would be the next domino tile toppling."

Rutte fears the same scenario as in the United States, where Donald Trump won the Presidential elections, and in Britain, which voted for a Brexit. These populist votes did so far not lead to a more stable political climate, which is a bad development according to Rutte.

"If Geert Wilders would get governmental power that would mean that we will let go the current wise course," Rutte added. "That we would get the same chaos as in Britain or the United States. I advocate for a stable course. No time for experiments in the forthcoming years."

Rutte repeated that he is not willing to form a government coalition with the PVV. He prefers a possible future government with the CDA (Christian Democrats) or D66 (Democrats). Since 2012 Rutte's VVD governed with the PvdA (Labor).

source: Xinhua