Netherlands

In May 2002, following the assasination of Pim Fortuyn, Dutch electoral politics were transformed beyond recognition by the entry into parliament, at its first attempt, of the anti-immigrant party, the List Pim Fortuyn. In terms of the far-Right electoral scene, a number of far-Right groups, including groups from within the Centrumdemocraten, are regrouping to form a new political party, called the Nieuwe Nationale Partij (NNP). The IRR is also concerned about the emergence of the anti-asylum 'Party for a Safe and Caring Society 2000' which has been formed to coordinate opposition to any new Asylum-Seeker Residence Centres.

List Pim Fortuyn

Chairman - Harry Wijnschenk

5.7%
 of vote in January 2003 general election

Anti-immigration party founded in February 2002. Its charismatic leader Pim Fortuyn was assasinated in May 2002, just before the Dutch general election. There was a massive reaction against the killing, leading to a huge sympathy vote for the party. But from this high point, it has been all downhill for the party. In 2002 it achieved 17 per cent of the vote (26 seats in parliament). After the January 2003 general election it was left with just eight seats.

In fact, the party is only well-known for the views of its founder, the author of a a book called 'Against the Islamification of Our Culture' which argues that immigrants should embrace Dutch culture and leave their own values behind. Fortuyn, who was gay, attacked Islam as a backward culture and a threat to the Netherland's permissive society. Following local elections in March 2002, Liveable Rotterdam (as the party is known in Rotterdam) gained control of the Rotterdam city council (17 seats on 45-seat council).The LPF stood for the first time in European parliamentary elections (in June 2004) and failed to win representation.


Centrumdemocraten (CD)

Led by Hans Janmaat

1.0%
 of the 1998 general election votes

Hard-core extreme-Right anti-immigration party, linked to far-Right violence but is increasingly unable to recaputre the levels of support it enjoyed in the early 1990s.

Presently has no seats in the national parliament, no representation on provincial councils, and only one local councillor in Schiedam, near Rotterdam. While the CD's influence now seems to be in terminal decline, in the mid-1990s it was particularly strong in Rotterdam, Amsterdam and the Hague.


Netherlands Bloc

Led by Wim Vreewsijk

Hard core extreme-Right anti-immigration party founded by disgruntled members of the CD and with much the same political outlook. Now in decline with no national party representation and only one local councillor, in Utrecht.