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By Rex Wockner International News Report
In order to govern, the Christian Democrats will need to form a coalition that most likely would include the Pim Fortuyn's List party MPs. Eight other parties are represented in Parliament with from two to 23 seats each. Fortuyn stood for reduced immigration (especially by Muslims whose beliefs he believed to be in conflict with Dutch society), a crackdown on crime, and attention to hospital waiting lists, train delays, education funding and other problems. Many media reports labeled him a right-winger but, in fact, he was not easily classified. He also could have been called a populist, a maverick, an independent or a libertarian. Among Fortuyn's most controversial statements (which got him labeled a right-winger): "Islam is ... simply a backward culture. ... I would simply say, no more Muslims can come in! ... Holland is full."
"The general feeling here is one of disbelief. It is the first time since 1672 that we had a political assassination." Meanwhile, the man who is likely to become the next prime minister, Christian Democrat Jan Peter Balkenende, recently told reporters that gay marriage and euthanasia will remain legal even though he opposed them in the past. He would, however, like to halt the sale of soft drugs, such as marijuana, in the nation's ubiquitous "coffeehouses," he said. The Netherlands is the only nation where gay couples can marry under the exact same laws as heterosexuals. Foreign gays residing temporarily in The Netherlands are allowed to get married there as well. |
Slain Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn 