Is the far right headed for victory in the Netherlands?

The Netherlands has long been known as a country of socially liberal values.

But the recent refugee crisis and anti-immigrant sentiments have led to the popularity of far-right groups.

On Wednesday, Dutch voters will decide between two starkly different candidates and parties.

The vote is one of several taking place across Europe this year – including in France, Germany and perhaps Italy.

And it will be the first test of how well far-right candidates will do.

Latest opinion polls suggest the Dutch People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and the far-right Party for Freedom, led by Geert Wilders, are in a tight race.

Both advocate very different agendas.

The People’s Party is progressive on social issues and fiscal austerity.

While the far right – whose leader has called Moroccan immigrants “scum” – wants to close mosques and pull the Netherlands out of the European Union.

So what will a possible far-right win mean for the Netherlands and Europe?

Presenter: Hazem Sika

Guests:

Jan Kleinnijenhuis – Professor at the Free University of Amsterdam

Saida Derrazi – Member of the Collective Against Islamophobia in the Netherlands

Matthijs Rooduijn – Political Sociologist at Utrecht University