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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I don't agree with some of the analysis here. I live in the Netherlands now, and did 30 years ago.  Was first here on a scholarship at the University of Amsterdam to research the rise in right wing movements in Western Europe and most of my work was around assimilation of 1960s and 1970s immigrants into France, Germany and Netherlands.  It's not true that Syrians and Afghans aren't assimilating now, and the Dutch have amazing taal schools to get immigrant children up to speed on Dutch to join regular Dutch basis schools (primary) and other options for children over 12.  There are many hardworking well integrated Syrians here. More people where I live now (Maastricht) are complaining of Moroccan youth being disruptive around the center and link increasing crime to new laws forbidding foreigners from going into coffee shops thereby creating a black market with aggressive sellers.

The housing crisis is THE biggest deal for most and it's easy to point the finger at immigrants for some.

Not all Dutch are as tolerant as the stereotypes.  And Geert Wilders has more in common with some of the fundamentalist Muslims that he wants to deport.  His platform is just as anti-LGBTQ and black and white in approach.  It would be wrong to simply link his support as tied to those who see Muslims as a threat to Dutch tolerance.  The cities with the largest Muslim populations did not vote for his party, notably Amsterdam.

Just wanted to add some nuance to some of the generalizations I'm reading here.  [/quote]

Agree with your assessment

Plus the vast majority of Dutch do not support Wilders extremist views and it is very unlikely he can form a coalition government unless he tones his rhetoric and policies right down. So far none of the other major parties have agreed to work with him. [/quote]

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