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A Dutch court convicts 2 Pakistani men over death threats to anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders
Read full article: A Dutch court convicts 2 Pakistani men over death threats to anti-Islam lawmaker Geert WildersA Dutch court has convicted two Pakistani men in their absence over calls to their followers to murder anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders, the leader of the Party for Freedom that won last year’s general election in the Netherlands.
New Dutch leader bans phones in Cabinet meetings to dial back espionage threat
Read full article: New Dutch leader bans phones in Cabinet meetings to dial back espionage threatThe new Dutch prime minister has banned cell phones and other mobile devices from the weekly meetings of his Cabinet in a move aimed at dialing back the risk of digital eavesdropping by spies.
Dutch king swears in a new government 7 months after far-right party won elections
Read full article: Dutch king swears in a new government 7 months after far-right party won electionsThe Netherlands has a different prime minister for the first time in 14 years after Dutch King Willem-Alexander swore in the country’s new government more than seven months after elections.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte urges support for Ukraine, EU and NATO in his farewell speech
Read full article: Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte urges support for Ukraine, EU and NATO in his farewell speechLong-serving Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has urged his country to support Ukraine and international cooperation in his final address to his compatriots.
Far-right gains in the EU election deal stunning defeats to France's Macron and Germany's Scholz
Read full article: Far-right gains in the EU election deal stunning defeats to France's Macron and Germany's ScholzFar-right parties made major gains in European Union parliamentary elections, dealing stunning defeats to two of the bloc’s most important leaders: French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Irish and Czech voters go to the polls on Day 2 of EU elections as the far right seeks more power
Read full article: Irish and Czech voters go to the polls on Day 2 of EU elections as the far right seeks more powerVoters in Ireland and the Czech Republic are going to the polls on the second day of the elections for the European Paraliament.
Dutch exit poll suggests neck and neck race between far right and center left in EU election
Read full article: Dutch exit poll suggests neck and neck race between far right and center left in EU electionA final exit poll suggests that Geert Wilders’ far-right party and a center-left alliance are neck and neck in the Dutch election for the European Parliament.
Shaken by the Fico assassination attempt, the EU wonders if June elections can be free of violence
Read full article: Shaken by the Fico assassination attempt, the EU wonders if June elections can be free of violenceIn an increasingly vitriolic political climate, the last thing needed in the runup to the June European Union elections was an assassination attempt on one of the bloc’s most controversial figures.
The Netherlands veers sharply to the right with a new government dominated by party of Geert Wilders
Read full article: The Netherlands veers sharply to the right with a new government dominated by party of Geert WildersAnti-Islam firebrand Geert Wilders and three other party leaders have agreed on a coalition deal that veers the Netherlands toward the hard right.
A Dutch anti-Islam party says it's brokered a provisional coalition deal for a hard-right government
Read full article: A Dutch anti-Islam party says it's brokered a provisional coalition deal for a hard-right governmentAnti-Islam firebrand Geert Wilders and three other Dutch party leaders say they have brokered a provisional government deal.
Geert Wilders tips 2 new officials to lead the next round of coalition talks after his election win
Read full article: Geert Wilders tips 2 new officials to lead the next round of coalition talks after his election winThe Dutch parliament has named two new go-betweens to lead negotiations to form the next ruling coalition.
Geert Wilders says it is 'constitutionally wrong' that he had to sacrifice his leadership ambitions
Read full article: Geert Wilders says it is 'constitutionally wrong' that he had to sacrifice his leadership ambitionsAnti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders says it is unfair and “constitutionally wrong” that he had to sacrifice his leadership aspirations in order to pave the way for a right-wing ruling coalition in the Netherlands after his party won elections in November.
Geert Wilders says he doesn't have support of likely coalition partners to become Dutch premier
Read full article: Geert Wilders says he doesn't have support of likely coalition partners to become Dutch premierGeert Wilders says he doesn’t have the support of his prospective coalition partners to become the next Dutch prime minister.
Dutch coalition talks falter as 1 out of the 4 leaders in talks to form a new government walks out
Read full article: Dutch coalition talks falter as 1 out of the 4 leaders in talks to form a new government walks outWeeks of negotiations to form a new ruling coalition in the Netherlands led by anti-Islam firebrand Geert Wilders appeared to have ended fruitlessly.
Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders has withdrawn a 2018 proposal to ban mosques and the Quran
Read full article: Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders has withdrawn a 2018 proposal to ban mosques and the QuranFar-right Dutch election winner Geert Wilders is withdrawing legislation he proposed in 2018 that calls for a ban on mosques and the Quran.
Dutch official says Geert Wilders and 3 other party leaders should discuss forming a new coalition
Read full article: Dutch official says Geert Wilders and 3 other party leaders should discuss forming a new coalitionAn official leading preliminary coalition talks in the Netherlands says that the far-right party led by Dutch election winner Geert Wilders should open negotiations with three other parties on forming a new government.
Donald Tusk becomes Poland's prime minister with the mission of improving European Union ties
Read full article: Donald Tusk becomes Poland's prime minister with the mission of improving European Union tiesPoland’s parliament has elected centrist party leader Donald Tusk as prime minister after eight years of stormy conservative rule.
The Netherlands' longtime ruling party says it won't join a new government following far-right's win
Read full article: The Netherlands' longtime ruling party says it won't join a new government following far-right's winThe process of forming a new government for the Netherlands after a far-right party's election victory is underway.
Europe's far-right populists buoyed by Wilders' win in Netherlands, hoping the best is yet to come
Read full article: Europe's far-right populists buoyed by Wilders' win in Netherlands, hoping the best is yet to comeGeert Wilders provided a major boost to Europe's far-right populists with his election win in the Netherlands.
In a political shift to the far right, anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders wins big in Dutch election
Read full article: In a political shift to the far right, anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders wins big in Dutch electionThe party of an anti-Islam, anti-migration politician is heading for a massive parliamentary election victory in the Netherlands.
The top contenders to lead the Netherlands, from a former refugee to an anti-Islam populist
Read full article: The top contenders to lead the Netherlands, from a former refugee to an anti-Islam populistNo fewer than 26 political parties are seeking a share of the 150 seats in the lower house of parliament in the Netherlands' general election Wednesday.
In a shock for Europe, anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders records a massive win in Dutch elections
Read full article: In a shock for Europe, anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders records a massive win in Dutch electionsThe far-right and anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders is heading for a massive parliamentary election victory.
Dutch election candidates make migration a key campaign issue in the crowded Netherlands
Read full article: Dutch election candidates make migration a key campaign issue in the crowded NetherlandsCandidates in a Nov. 22 general election in the Netherlands are making migration a major issue in the campaign.
The Dutch prime minister hands in his resignation as the government collapses over migration
Read full article: The Dutch prime minister hands in his resignation as the government collapses over migrationDutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has visited the king to hand in the resignation of his four-party coalition, setting the deeply divided Netherlands on track for a general election later this year.
Dutch premier resigns because of deadlock on thorny issue of migration, paving way for new elections
Read full article: Dutch premier resigns because of deadlock on thorny issue of migration, paving way for new electionsDutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has announced his resignation and that of his Cabinet, citing irreconcilable differences within his four-party coalition about how to rein in migration.
Dutch government under fire in debate over emissions cuts
Read full article: Dutch government under fire in debate over emissions cutsDutch lawmakers have broken into their summer vacations to debate the government’s contentious plans to slash nitrogen emissions that have sparked angry protests by farmers.
'Teflon' Mark Rutte is longest-serving Dutch prime minister
Read full article: 'Teflon' Mark Rutte is longest-serving Dutch prime ministerMark Rutte has become the longest-serving Dutch prime minister and the 55-year-old leader known by some as “Teflon Mark” because scandals don’t stick to him is showing no sign of slowing despite unrest gripping his nation and his party’s popularity sliding in polls.
Dutch coalition talks deadlocked 5 months after election
Read full article: Dutch coalition talks deadlocked 5 months after electionThe Netherlands appears to be heading toward talks to form a minority coalition after efforts to piece together a Cabinet made up of five parties from across the political spectrum broke down Tuesday.
Lawmakers censure Dutch PM Rutte over coalition talks
Read full article: Lawmakers censure Dutch PM Rutte over coalition talksCaretaker Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s political future is in doubt after lawmakers passed a motion of censure against him that was filed by two parties in his own outgoing coalition.
Dutch PM Rutte's conservatives see 4th straight election win
Read full article: Dutch PM Rutte's conservatives see 4th straight election winDutch caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte speaks with the media following exit polls in the general election in The Hague, Netherlands, March 17, 2021. The VVD selected Senator Annemarie Jorritsma, while D66 chose Kajsa Ollongren, who was interior minister and deputy prime minister in Rutte's last Cabinet. AdBaudet, arriving at parliament for a meeting of party leaders, told reporters he “was actually hoping for more” seats in the election. The Green Left party, a big winner in the 2017 election, was forecast to lose half of its 14 seats. The Dutch election, coming just months after Britain's Brexit divorce with the European Union came into full force, saw gains among pro-EU parties.
Caretaker PM Rutte seen as winning most seats in Dutch vote
Read full article: Caretaker PM Rutte seen as winning most seats in Dutch voteDutch caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the VVD Liberal party votes in the Dutch general election in The Hague, Netherlands, March 17, 2021. Ad”“The agenda ahead of us is enormous,” Rutte said in his first reaction to the poll results. “This shows that the Netherlands trusts the VVD and Mark Rutte to continue in this unprecedented crisis,” said VVD lawmaker Sophie Hermans. Rutte indicated it would be the obvious partner to talk to first to lay the foundation for a new coalition. Another party on the far-right of the Dutch political spectrum, Forum for Democracy, did better, according to the poll, gaining 6 seats to reach 8.
Dutch parties make last push for votes in general election
Read full article: Dutch parties make last push for votes in general electionA motorized voter casts his ballot at a drive through polling station in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)AMSTERDAM – The leaders of the top eight parties in the Dutch general election made a final pitch for votes Tuesday night in a televised debate on the eve of the last day of voting in the coronavirus-affected national election. Wilders' party is forecast to win 18-20 seats. Rutte has led the last three Dutch ruling coalitions and has been in power for more than a decade. However, it has waned in recent weeks as the election neared and public impatience with the country's tough lockdown increased.
Former TV presenter puts race on Dutch political agenda
Read full article: Former TV presenter puts race on Dutch political agenda(AP Photo/Mike Corder)AMSTERDAM – Sylvana Simons is campaigning for the Dutch general election on a platform of what she calls radical equality. It remains to be seen if Simons' BIJ1 party — a wordplay that translates as Together — will get enough votes to win a seat. Others include DENK, a party she once belonged to and that already has three seats in the 150-seat lower house. The experience has destroyed their trust in the Dutch government to the extent that they may not even vote. Simons wants to be a voice for the marginalized.
Voting underway in coronavirus-affected Dutch election
Read full article: Voting underway in coronavirus-affected Dutch electionA woman prepares to cast her ballot in ride through polling station for bicycles in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Monday, March 15, 2021. “I think Rutte has done well," said Guido van den Elshout, 72, after voting in the Dutch parliament building in The Hague. The pandemic's ongoing effects were clearly visible in the Dutch capital Amsterdam, where a drive-thru polling station for cars and bicycles opened at a conference center. Far more polling stations will be open on Wednesday, the official date of the election. For Kastelein, the key issues were “the climate crisis and growing racism but I also think Europe is very important.
Coronavirus pandemic casts long shadow over Dutch elections
Read full article: Coronavirus pandemic casts long shadow over Dutch electionsMany voters approve of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Ruttes handling of the crisis but his popularity has waned in recent weeks. Dutch voters have plenty of issues to consider in next week's election but one towers over all others: the COVID-19 pandemic. “I do indeed think that the elections this year are really about the coronavirus, of course,” said student Ayoub Aouragh. If the VVD captures the largest cut of the vote, Rutte will be first in line to begin talks to form the country's next ruling coalition, a process that could take months. "So the economy is back on top, whereas in the previous four or five elections, immigration was the core issue.”The virus also has altered the entire Dutch election campaign and voting process.
Dutch PM's popularity high but eroding as election looms
Read full article: Dutch PM's popularity high but eroding as election loomsFILE - In this file photo dated Saturday, July 18, 2020, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte arrives for an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys, file)THE HAGUE – After more than a decade in power and a year spent battling the virus, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's popularity — boosted by his handling of the pandemic — remains high two weeks before a general election. But amid a tough COVID-19 lockdown, that support is showing signs of eroding as the Dutch grow weary of pandemic restrictions. “The popularity of Mark Rutte ... got a big boost last year due to the COVID-19 crisis,” Van der Meer said. That would make him the longest-serving Dutch prime minister, overtaking the 12-year tenure of Ruud Lubbers.
Dutch parliament approves new coronavirus curfew law
Read full article: Dutch parliament approves new coronavirus curfew lawDe Waag on Nieuwmarkt Square, historically the eastern gateway to the city, is deserted during curfew in the center of Amsterdam, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)THE HAGUE – The Dutch parliament approved hastily drawn-up legislation Thursday underpinning the country's coronavirus curfew after a judge ordered the measure scrapped earlier this week. If the senate approves the legislation, the curfew will remain in place and the appeal court's decision will become largely irrelevant. He demanded that fines meted out for breaches of the curfew be canceled or repaid. AdThe curfew, which sparked rioting last month but is very broadly supported and followed, remains in force pending the outcome of the government's appeal.
131 arrested on 'calmer' night during Dutch virus curfew
Read full article: 131 arrested on 'calmer' night during Dutch virus curfewA police officers speaks to youths on scooters at a road block during a nation-wide curfew in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)THE HAGUE – Dutch police said Wednesday that the fourth night of the Netherlands' coronavirus curfew passed more peacefully than the previous three nights marred by rioting. Even so, officers arrested 131 people, mainly for public order offenses and incitement. “It was calmer around the curfew on Tuesday night than the days before,” police said in a statement. There was no such violence Tuesday night, but police detained 81 people in the port city as they sought to quickly stamp out trouble.
Dutch lawmakers back coronavirus curfew despite criticism
Read full article: Dutch lawmakers back coronavirus curfew despite criticismThe Dutch government said Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, that it wants to impose a curfew as part of beefed-up restrictions to rein in the spread of new more contagious variants of the coronavirus that already accounts for at least one in every 10 Dutch infections. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)THE HAGUE – A majority of Dutch lawmakers backed the government’s planned curfew Thursday, despite fierce criticism from some opposition legislators. Prime Minister Mark Rutte said a curfew is needed to rein in the spread of COVID-19, but some opposition lawmakers angrily denounced it as an excessive restriction of liberties. With the government in caretaker mode since resigning Friday, it needs approval from lawmakers to impose the curfew. After hours of debate in parliament, it remained unclear if a majority would support the measure.
Pandemic haunts new year as virus growth outpaces vaccines
Read full article: Pandemic haunts new year as virus growth outpaces vaccinesA person walks with an umbrella in light rain in the City of London financial district in London, Jan. 5, 2021, on the first morning of England entering a third national lockdown since the coronavirus outbreak began. Mexico City’s hospitals hold more virus patients than ever. Even pandemic success story Thailand is fighting an unexpected wave of infections. Mexico’s capital has more virus patients than at any point in the pandemic and is flying in doctors from less hard-hit states. The pandemic is even reaching countries that seemed to have the virus under control.
Dutch government criticized for late start to vaccinations
Read full article: Dutch government criticized for late start to vaccinations“This is outrageous," Geert Wilders, leader of the largest Dutch opposition party, said during a debate that was arranged during Parliament's winter recess. The government moved the vaccinations forward by two days amid growing anger over its policies and COVID-19-related staff shortages at hospitals. The confirmed Dutch death toll in the pandemic is more than 11,000, though the actual number is higher because of limited testing. French authorities also came under fire for inoculating barely 500 people in the first week of its vaccination program. And even though Germany inoculated over 200,000 people in its first week, its heath authorities are being criticized for not ramping up vaccinations fast enough.
Turkey's Erdogan sues Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker for insults
Read full article: Turkey's Erdogan sues Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker for insultsTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is suing Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders after the anti-Islam politician posted a series of tweets against the Turkish leader, including one that described him as a terrorist according to Turkey's state-run news agency Tuesday Oct. 27, 2020. Erdogan has persistently sued people for alleged insults since he took office as president in 2014. More than 29,000 people were prosecuted on charges of insulting Erdogan last year, according to the Birgun newspaper. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called the move against Wilders unacceptable and said his government would raise the issue with Turkey. And cartoons are part of that, including cartoons of politicians,” Rutte told reporters in parliament.
Turkish president dares U.S. to impose economic sanctions
Read full article: Turkish president dares U.S. to impose economic sanctions(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)ANKARA – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan challenged the United States to impose sanctions against his country while also launching a second personal attack Sunday on French President Emmanuel Macron. The Turkish leader also mentioned Washington’s threat of sanctions after Turkey tested the Russian-made S-400 air defense system. For months, the U.S. warned Ankara that it risked sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act if the S-400 system were activated. President Donald Trump, however, has held back on implementing the sanctions amid hopes Erdogan will not go ahead with activating the missiles. Erdogan also returned to personal insults of Macron, who has been a vocal critic of Turkish foreign policy in recent months.
Facebook: Pandemic hurt enforcement on suicide, child nudity
Read full article: Facebook: Pandemic hurt enforcement on suicide, child nuditySending its content moderators to work from home in March amid the pandemic led the company to remove less harmful material from Facebook and Instagram around suicide, self-injury and child nudity and sexual exploitation. Sending its content moderators to work from home in March amid the pandemic led the company to remove less harmful material from Facebook and Instagram around suicide, self-injury, child nudity and sexual exploitation. White people often don blackface makeup, red lipstick and curly black wigs to play Black Pete during street parties honoring Sinterklaas. 11 is a happy day: From today, Black Pete is officially no longer welcome worldwide on Facebook and Instagram, the group said. Populist lawmaker Geert Wilders tweeted a photo of a Black Pete shortly after the Facebook announcement accompanied by the text: Facebook and Instagram ban images of Zwarte Piet.
Twitter says hackers accessed Dutch politician's inbox
Read full article: Twitter says hackers accessed Dutch politician's inboxLONDON Twitter says an elected Dutch official was among 36 account holders whose direct message inboxes were accessed in a recent high-profile hack. The hacker indeed also got full access to my DM's which of course is totally unacceptable in many ways," Wilders said. The hack appeared designed to lure their Twitter followers into sending money to an anonymous Bitcoin account. I deleted most of them but maybe some were left there for the hacker to see and copy. He added that he rarely wrote direct messages himself. Twitter also confirmed that another eight accounts had their user data archive, including direct messages, downloaded through the Your Twitter Data tool, but none of those accounts were verified.
Dutch 'Dr. Superstrict' Rutte influential in EU virus deal
Read full article: Dutch 'Dr. Superstrict' Rutte influential in EU virus dealDutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte arrives for an EU summit in Brussels, Monday, July 20, 2020. (Stephanie Lecocq, Pool Photo via AP)THE HAGUE Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte didnt win many friends with his tough negotiating over the course of a marathon four-day European Union summit in Brussels. That didnt bother the three-term leader who is a veteran of plenty of past EU negotiations. Hard-line Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wondered out loud why Rutte hated his nation. Geert Wilders, whose Party for Freedom is a fierce EU critic, called the deal Crazy.