How the Dutch Fell Out of Love With the EU / Geert Wilders is no longer so keen on pushing for a ‘Nexit’ – and it’s because Dutch people don’t want it.

After decades of embracing a firmly pro-EU stance, the Dutch appear in 2017 increasingly out of sorts and disappointed with the European Union.

Also see the related url LSE EuroppBlog called Geert Wilders is no longer so keen on pushing for a ‘Nexit’ – and it’s because Dutch people don’t want it by Stijn van Kessel.

The intensity of the the Dutch Freedom Party’s Euroscepticism has variated over the years, writes Stijn van Kessel. Unlike what happened in occasion of the 2012 vote, when opposition to the EU took centre stage in the party’s electoral programme, Geert Wilders is currently giving less prominence to the issue in the run up to the 15 March election. As van Kessel explains, Dutch citizens’ support for a ‘Nexit’ is clearly limited and campaigning on a multifaceted nativist programme may be a better way for Wilders to expand his support base.

ESO: Background information: Is a Nexit now on the cards? What the UK’s referendum means for the Netherlands [The EU Referendum, 23 June 2016. The United Kingdom and the European Union. The results. Reaction in The Netherlands] http://www.europeansources.info/record/is-a-nexit-now-on-the-cards-what-the-uks-referendum-means-for-the-netherlands-the-eu-referendum-23-june-2016-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union-the-results-reaction-in-the-nether/

ESO: Key source: Dutch general election, 2017 http://www.europeansources.info/record/dutch-general-election-2017/

ESO: Background information: Dutch Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement referendum, 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/dutch-ukraine-european-union-association-agreement-referendum-2016/

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 02.03.17: Geert Wilders is no longer so keen on pushing for a ‘Nexit’ – and it’s because Dutch people don’t want it http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2017/03/02/nexit-evolving-euroscepticism-geert-wilders/

---