Netherlands holds Europe’s first corona election – NRK Urix – Overseas News and Documentaries

It was a very sour and cold morning in the north of the Netherlands, but the main square in Croningen was still packed with curious listeners. This year’s election campaign bears little resemblance to what Dutch voters and politicians are accustomed to.

Coronary restrictions put an end to public meetings and door-to-door election campaigns.

After the curfew closes the country, most people will have to satisfy themselves in following the political debate on the screens in the living room.

Politicians from many parties say they miss the opportunity to meet people on the street to express their views to the NRK, but a man knows how to change the situation to his advantage.

“Independence Caravan”

Theory Budget, the leader of the Democratic Party for the House, revolves around what he calls an “independent caravan.”

He is not allowed to announce where the meetings will be long ago, but people will somehow find out about it openly. They come to listen to the show and take mobile pictures with today’s man. Shortly afterwards, Theory retires from the crowded selfie line without a bad bandage, telling NRK how Kovit-19 has given him a new match.

– We are the only party running a campaign to get out of the closure. The corona virus is no more dangerous than a common flu! This is completely irrational, what the authorities are doing. That’s why I think we have a chance to make a bad choice.

Neither the medical experts nor the election analysts would agree with that analysis because the corona virus is dangerous and does not make up more than about 4 percent of the vote. But not so long ago, support was different.

Speaks Latin

The 38-year-old Theory Paddet is set to become the new right-wing monarch in the Netherlands. A year ago, people talked about him as a new prime minister. This is an active, talkative and intelligent guy.

He appealed to a different kind of voter than the country’s right-wing populist pioneer Kirt Wilders, who many believed had become more monopolistic in his anti-Islamic policies.

There were other things for Padet. The huge piano he had for deafening the journalist was placed in office when he was elected to Parliament.

Or good education, helped him deliver his first speech in the Dutch Second Room in Latin. (According to critics, with a lot of mistakes, but still.)

In addition, he followed the Wilders line in immigration policy, but wrapped the message in good words.

Inspired by French identity philosophers and British nationalist conservative thinkers, for example, he shaped himself when talking about how Western countries interact with immigration:Western nations suffer from autoimmune disease. Parts of our organism – an important part: our immune system, which is what protects us – drives us. We are weak and downtrodden.

Yes to the car, no vaccine

Now that there is another, very specific disease that many fear, Pud Ted is not worried. He did not want to hear about vaccines.

– I’m sure not to get vaccinated. Corona did not pose a serious health risk to me. Sure, I can get infected, and I can get seriously ill, but this is the same chance of getting into a bad car accident. Still, I drive every day, explains Buded.

– The virus is less dangerous than vaccines.

“A Fascist Psychiatrist”

This winter, it was completely separated from the feast of Pudet. Many of his own party colleagues revolted against the leader. Because they thought it was a completely irresponsible epidemic taken by Pat. One scandal involved, among other things, anti-Semitic text messages from the party’s youth leaders and Budget’s statements on the relationship between IQ and race.

Henk Otten, one of the party’s co-founders, called on Budet to say he had been radicalized.A fascist psychiatrist.

– These are the strong words of a former party colleague. What do you think about this?

– I think we did the right thing by expelling him from the party. He was apparently completely gone from the hinges. Pudet says he is angry.

– I can not think of a political ideology that is more distant from me than fascism. I don’t even consider myself an external right-wing party anymore. What we are fighting for is an existential right that every nation must fight for. The right to be free, the right to be out on the streets, the right to start a business, to say what you want, not to be vaccinated if you do not want to. I think it makes a sense whether people with all kinds of backgrounds are from the left or the right.

Budget regained control of his own party, demanding a vote among party members. He returned to the leadership chair, but lost considerable support. Opposition to corona actions has become a kind of solution to the crisis. It has given him the opportunity to rediscover the opposition between People And Elite, Or ்ட cartel », budded invites other parties.

– I came back, my enemies disappeared. We are now again the only party campaigning against corona activities and for freedom.

More independent than the Freedom Party

According to Kirt Wilders, the leader of the largest Freedom Party, it is a bit strange that Budget claims to have a monopoly on “freedom” as a political idea.

Wilders claims that Theory Padded ended up in conspiracy theories with his corona theories and is not interested in going down that path.

– I have great respect for the Wilders. He talks about immigration and integration, and he criticizes the EU as much as I do. But when it comes to the corona, there are fundamentally different opinions. He supported the vaccination program and voted against our plan to remove the restrictions. We are the only party that targets the voice of the real opposition.

Easing Rutte

The epidemic dominated the election campaign. Of course this is not the only case spoken of in the Netherlands. A major welfare scandal that caused the government to resign in January was a topic of discussion on television.

However, Mark Rutte of the Liberal Party VVD, who was prime minister in the interim government until the election, did not pay much attention to any polling booth after he resigned. During epidemics, many prefer the familiar face, and Rutte seems to be prime again.

So far, he has said he will not cooperate with far-rightists such as Kirt Wilders or Theory Padd.

For a man like Budget, who now invests everything to think the opposite of other parties, losing the opportunity to sit in a coalition government would not be a great loss.

– “Vote again for the Netherlands” is your slogan. Is the Netherlands missing?

– Of course! Let this country be the center of our economy with its sense of freedom, freedom to go out on the streets, go to parties, be very nice to everyone, make new friends in cafes and restaurants, small and medium businesses. All this is disappearing.

Look at the Urix project on the right in Europe during epidemics She