Seven members of the Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV) parliamentary faction have risen up against leader Geert Wilders.
They blame him for last year’s election defeat and accuse him of making the party revolve too heavily around his persona.
At time of writing, seven PVV MPs including prominent politician Gido Markuszower, an MP since 2017, have resigned, signalling a major upheaval within the party.
Dutch daily De Telegraaf reported today that it has obtained an urgent letter signed by multiple PVV MPs. The rebels are demanding that the party become a members’ organisation and that they be given more room to establish their own political profiles.
Members, including those in the European Parliament, have until now been kept on a tight leash. Some Euro MPs have felt they have to shun media.
Tensions within the right-wing populist party have been simmering for some time. In the 2024 elections, the PVV became the largest party in the Netherlands and, for the first time, participated in government.
Wilders, though, dissolved the cabinet last June after mounting friction — a move that has angered many supporters.
Disillusioned voters are now turning to the “Nexit” party, advocating for quitting the European Union; The Forum for Democracy (FvD), led by new party leader Lidewij de Vos. The PVV has seen a dramatic fall in the polls over recent weeks.
PVV MPs have openly criticised Wilders for his near-invisibility during the October election campaign, with few appearances in debates or interviews.
The letter’s authors are calling for an internal investigation, and speculation is already circulating about a potential new leader. Martin Bosma is being mentioned as Wilders’ successor.
The blond Dutchman, the critics say, has relied on the same strategy for years: Criticising and attacking Islam.
The rebellious MPs charge Wilders with failing to uphold internal party democracy. They are also pushing for greater collaboration with other parties to achieve concrete results.
“Especially now, with a minority cabinet (D66, CDA, and VVD], we can get things done. The country needs solutions, not just criticism,” party officials told De Telegraaf.
Responding on X, Wilders said it was a “dark day” for the Freedom party. “But we always carry on. For the Netherlands. And the sun will shine again,” he wrote.
