FACT CHECK: No, Greet Wilders Has Not Yet Been Appointed As Prime Minister Of The Netherlands In December 2023
A video shared on Instagram claims Dutch politician Greet Wilders has been officially made prime minister of the Netherlands.
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Verdict: False
The claim is inaccurate. Although Wilders won the election, he has not yet been made prime minister as of December 2023.
Fact Check:
After Wilders’s party won the Nov. 22 election, he stated he wants to be prime minister for “all Netherlanders” and that his policies will adhere to the country’s constitution, according to ABC News. He has aimed to ease concerns with potential coalition partners about his anti-Islam plans, which include banning mosques, Islamic schools and the Quran, the outlet reported.
An Instagram video purported Wilder has been appointed the Prime Minister of the Netherlands after winning the majority of votes. The post shared a video which showed Wilders speaking about Islam, saying it “teaches hatred, propagates violence and is barbaric by nature.” The video includes the text, “This man won the Dutch election with the most votes” and “Greet Wilders New Prime Minister of the Netherlands.” (RELATED: Was A Dutch Grocery Store Burned Down Because Bill Gates Owns It?)
This claim is inaccurate, however. Wilders’ party won 37 out of 150 seats in the election, but he still must hold coalition talks to form a new government, according to AP News. These talks typically take months, with the formation of the last government being the longest in history at nine months long, according to Reuters. Wilders’ talks are no exception and are expected to extend well into 2024, the outlet reported.
The Netherlands House of Representatives website shows the process of the coalition, stating that “political parties wanting to make up a new Cabinet first have to reach an agreement on a draft Coalition Agreement, negotiated by the leaders of the parliamentary groups under the leadership of one or more informateurs, which is then presented for comment to the political groups representing the coalition parties in the House of Representatives.” The cabinet cannot be officially formed until the King swears in the State Secretaries.
Check Your Fact has reached out to a Wilders spokesperson for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
