AlJazeera: Dutch coalition embraces Wilders

Wat zal de Vijand vinden van de nieuwe Nederlandse regering? Wat vindt De Moslim, vervloekt zij zijn naam, van het CDA, de PVV en Bruin-1. We leggen ons oor te luisteren bij de boodschapper van de As van Het Kwaad, Al Jazeera. The Christian Democrat (CDA) party in the Netherlands has voted to co-operate with an anti-Islam party, removing another hurdle to forming a conservative Dutch government. At a convention in the city of Arnhem on Saturday, a 68 per cent majority of the 5,000 CDA-members cast ballots in favour of working with the Freedom Party, although there was significant opposition. The Christian Democrats plan to join a minority cabinet led by the pro-business VVD party, with tacit support from Geert Wilders' anti-Islam Freedom party. The trio have announced a blueprint to curtail immigration and make major spending cuts. CDA members of parliament will make a final decision next week, with two party dissidents possibly still opposed. Maxime Verhagen, the CDA leader, said he was delighted by the result of the poll. "The convention showed clear support for the agreement with the VVD," he said. However, a number of prominent Christian Democrats have argued against co-operation with the Freedom Party.

"It would be bad for the party and bad for the country," Kathleen Ferrier, a member of the Dutch parliament, said at the congress in Arnhem.

Former Dutch prime minister Dries van Agt said the co-operation with Geert Wilders will "maim" the Christian Democrats. He also called Geert Wilders an "advocate of national egoism".

Piet de Jong, another former prime minister, said he was surprised that his fellow Christian Democrats were "willing to compromise the freedom of religion".

John Tyler, political editor of Radio Netherlands Worldwide, said emotions at the convention in Arnhem were running high.

"There are really impassioned feelings among the Christian Democrats about the issue of co-operating with Wilders, but the vote in the end was not very close," Tyler told Al Jazeera.

"Wilders will be supporting the new government from his seat in parliament."

During the vote, protests were held outside the convention venue in Arnhem. TV screens were set up showing footage of Geert Wilders speaking in 2009, when he claimed that CDA stands for "Christians Serve Allah".

Several dozen activists displayed banners with slogans saying "Freedom Yes, Freedom Party No".

Bron(nen): Aljazeera