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Geert Wilders is a Dutch politician who is best known for his views favoring the restriction of immigration, particularly against muslims, and his opposition to Turkish EU membership. In September 2004, he left the liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD in Dutch) and formed his own political party.
His party is program is one which revolves around freedom but few politicians have joined it so far because of the risk of fear for assinations of Wilders and his group. Regardless, in polls released following the assassination of Theo van Gogh, it was estimated that Wilders' party would win 24 (of 150) seats in the Dutch parliament. With the uproar following this assassination dying down, the number has been reduced somewhat. Polls vary between 5 and 30 seats, out of the 150 in the Tweede Kamer.
Following the assassination, Geert Wilders did not attend regular meetings in the parliament for several weeks. Even thought a members' presence is not mandatory, it's uncommon for them not to show up for weeks on end. Geert Wilders did this out of concern for his personal security. Having been assigned a new postion in the meeting hall (one further away from the public observation area), he has once again started to attend meetings.
In recent interviews Geert Wilders more than once indicated that the Dutch Constitution and European Convention on Human Rights should be changed or temporarily revoked to better protect the Dutch people from Muslim extremism, a stance frowned upon by the more moderate parties.
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