AMSTERDAM // Dutch anti-Islamist politician Geert Wilders, who plays a controversial but pivotal role in the formation of a new Dutch government, went on trial today for inciting hatred against Muslims. Mr Wilders is charged with inciting hate and discrimination against Muslims in comments he made in the media and for insulting Muslims by comparing the Islamic faith to Nazism. "The freedom of speech of at least 1.5 million people is on trial with me," Mr Wilders said on a social media site, referring to the number of voters his Freedom Party won at the June 9 elections. He added today would be a "terrible day."
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of one year imprisonment or a fine. The trial comes at an awkward time for Mr Wilders, whose party is poised to gain a powerful role in the running of the country through its support of a minority government made up of the Liberals (VVD) and Christian Democrat (CDA) parties. A CDA congress voted in favour of entering into a minority government with support from the Freedom Party on Saturday, but still remains split over the prospect of relying on Mr Wilders's support and a final decision on the matter will be made tomorrow.
Following elections in June, the VVD and CDA hold between them just 52 seats in the 150-seat parliament. With support from Mr Wilders they can get to a bare-minimum majority of 76 seats. "He divides, he creates hate, he creates conflicts between people. Some people can't accept this. Other people can accept this," said Mohammed Rabbae of the National Council for Moroccans. The Freedom Party leader, who has faced death threats over his political views, made the film "Fitna" in 2008 which accused the Koran of inciting violence and mixed images of terrorist attacks with quotations from the Islamic holy book.
He has also made outspoken remarks to the media, such as an opinion piece in a Dutch daily in which he compared Islam to fascism and the Koran to Adolf Hitler's book "Mein Kampf". "It has never happened before that such a prominent member of the parliament and a parliamentary leader needs to answer up to charges in front of a criminal court for comments inciting hate," high-profile lawyer Gerard Spong told Dutch BNR radio.
The trial will be held over several days in October, with a ruling expected in early November.
