Dutch news in brief, 22 November 2004

Wilders eclipses CDA and VVD in new poll

Independent MP Geert Wilders, who has been threatened with death for criticising Muslims, could win 26 seats if an election was held now for the 150-seat Dutch Parliament, according to a new opinion poll. Wilders has said he plans to launch a Liberal-Conservative Party to clamp down on Muslim extremists. The Maurice de Hond poll suggests that the Liberal Party (VVD), which Wilders left recently to prevent party leaders muzzling his opposition to Turkey joining the EU, would be left with 15 seats. This would be the worst showing for the Liberals in 35 years. The VVD currently has 28 seats and is in a coalition with Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende’s Christian Democrat Party (CDA). The opinion poll said the CDA would drop from 44 to 25 seats and the third coalition party D66 would lose three of its current tally of six. The Maurice de Hond poll also indicated the populist LPF party of murder politician Pim Fortuyn would lose all its MPs. The main opposition Labour Party (PvdA) was tipped to win 52 seats, 10 more than the three government parties combined.

Seven killed in weekend traffic

Seven people were killed in traffic accidents in the Netherlands at the weekend. Planet Nieuws reported two people died in a head-on collision on a provisional road between Veenwouden and Dokken in the north of the country on Saturday night. A man, 21, died on Saturday night when his car smashed into a tree at Daarle. Earlier in the day two men, both aged 23, died and six others were injured when two cars and a minibus collided on the road between Beverwijk and Wijk aan Zee. A 20-year-old passenger was killed on Saturday near Apeldoorn when the car in which he was travelling hit another vehicle before landing in water. Another person died on Friday night when a car was struck by a train at a crossing near Groenekan.

Georgina’s intimate contract laid bare

Dutch actress Georgina Verbaan, 25, earned EUR 200,000 to appear naked in Playboy, according to a leaked copy of the contract between her and the Dutch edition of the men’s magazine. If the figure is accurate it is the largest amount paid to any Dutch celebrity to bare all for the camera. The 12-page spread in the December issue of the magazine was shot in Brazil.

Police catch armed fugitive

Police in the southern Dutch city of Eindhoven say they have arrested a Bosnian man, 26, who is wanted in Germany for shooting at police and other serious crimes. The German police tipped off their Dutch counterparts that the man was hiding out in Eindhoven. Local police traced him to a house where he was detained by a specialist arrest team. The suspect was carrying false Bulgarian passport, Nieuws.nl said. Two guns and Bulgarian and German identity papers were also found. The Bosnian man faces extradition to Germany.

Mini riot as squatters’ gallery opens

The opening of a new squatters’ gallery on the Heileweg in Amsterdam turned into a mini-riot on Sunday. Locals feared one of the participants was about to commit suicide when he climbed out onto the window ledge on the first floor of the building. The police were called and arrived in large numbers. They arrested the man on the ledge and two others. This led to a siege of the local police station when squatters armed with fireworks turned up to demand the men be let go. They were freed later than evening and it emerged the man who climbed out onto the ledge was a poet looking for a good vantage point from which to recite his work.

Subject: Dutch news