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Daily Mail
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
'Trumpugees' fleeing U.S. for liberal Netherlands find it's taken a right turn
Liberal Americans fleeing the U.S. for the Netherlands - traditionally a bastion of progressiveness - are in for a rude awakening as the country pivots right. The so-called 'Trumpugees' looking for an alternative to Donald Trump 's rightist agenda have been looking to the European country as a haven. But the country's new Prime Minister, Dick Schoof, is preparing to usher in a wave of policies more in common with the Republican administration in Washington. Despite that, GTFO Tours - an organization founded by Bethany Quinn and Jana Sanchez to help Americans relocate to the Netherlands - says it has seen a 200 per cent uptick in inquiries in recent months. 'I think a lot of Americans have sort of been waiting to see how things are going, but they just keep getting worse,' Quinn told Newsweek. The organization pointed to Trump's hardline immigration policies and anti-transgender rights stance as the driving force behind the increase. Quinn said Americans have been bracing for setbacks in social progress since Trump took office in January. She argued that Trump's slew of executive orders on his first day in office, 'reversed 60+ years of progress.' 'A lot of Americans are just looking to have a peaceful life. They just wanna live their lives and they don't want to worry about their safety. They don't wanna worry about their government collapsing,' Quinn continued. The Netherlands may seem like an obvious choice to escape the American grind, but the country's government has had its fair share of turmoil. The government's four-party coalition collapsed in June when Geert Wilders, the leader of the far-right Party for Freedom, withdrew after the other three parties declined to back his immigration plan. Then in July, the Dutch parliament passed a slew of anti-immigration reforms targeted at asylum seekers. The Netherlands is also pumping the brakes on reforms for transgender citizens. A bill introduced in 2021 to make it easier for trans individuals to change their gender registration on official documents was recently withdrawn. 'This cabinet is letting transgender people down in an unprecedented way,' chair Remke Verdegem said of the decision. The wave of conservative policies mirrors the harsh immigration and anti-trans policies of the Trump administration. Grover Wehman-Brown, an American looking to move to the Netherlands, recently told Newsweek, that as a trans individual, they felt increasing fear living in the U.S. Wehman-Brown said that they experienced a 'constant threat and vigilance' growing up trans in rural Ohio, and was now starting to see those tensions again. 'I had gone to the Netherlands once 15 years ago, and I really liked the short amount of time I spent there, so I was like, "this is really a lovely place where everybody seems busy and purposeful, but cooperating well together and things are running smoothly,'" they added. Wehman-Brown isn't the only one, with a survey by the Immigration Advice Authority citing that one in four Americans were weighing emigration after Trump's 2024 win. Canada has also emerged as a leading destination for fed-up Americans to relocate. However, any refuge could be short-lived if the president makes good on his threats to turn the country into America's 51st state. Almost 500 fleeing U.S. citizens have tried to claim asylum in Canada since the billionaire's re-election. But liberals seeking refuge from Trump's America have been dealt a crushing blow after their favorite sanctuary issued a brutal crackdown. The Canadian government is bringing in emergency powers to make it easier to block applications and its border agency says the proposed overhaul is to 'protect the system.' Other popular destinations for American progressives include Portugal and Spain. Interracial lesbian couple Doris Davis and Susie Bartlett living in NYC told Reuters in May they are considering the move. 'We love this country, but we don't love what it has become. When your identity is being attacked, there is a personal sense of... anger (and) frustration,' Davis said.
Daily Mail
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Huge spike in 'Trumpugees' fleeing America... but they'll quickly regret it
As President Donald Trump 's agenda quickly accelerates to the right, many liberal Americans are looking for an exit strategy. And with its progressive culture and affordability, the Netherlands is looking increasingly attractive for so-called 'Trumpugees'. GTFO Tours, an organization founded by Bethany Quinn and Jana Sanchez to help Americans relocate to the Netherlands says it has seen a 200 percent uptick in inquiries in recent months. 'I think a lot of Americans have sort of been waiting to see how things are going, but they just keep getting worse,' Quinn told Newsweek. The organization pointed to Trump's hardline immigration policies and anti-transgender rights stance as the driving force behind the increase. However, those looking to flee to the European country may be in for a rude awakening upon arrival. The country's new Prime Minister, Dick Schoof, is preparing to usher in a wave of conservativism. Schoof was elected in June as the country has pivoted hard to conservatism. Quinn said that Americans have been bracing for setbacks in social progress since Trump took office in January. She argued that Trump's slew of executive orders on his first day in office, 'reversed 60+ years of progress.' 'A lot of Americans are just looking to have a peaceful life. They just wanna live their lives and they don't want to worry about their safety. They don't wanna worry about their government collapsing,' Quinn continued. The Netherlands may seem like an obvious choice to escape the American grind, but the country's government has had its fair share of turmoil. The government's four-party coalition collapsed in June when Geert Wilders, the leader of the far-right Party for Freedom, withdrew after the other three parties declined to back his immigration plan. Then in July, the Dutch parliament passed a slew of anti-immigration reforms targeted at asylum seekers. The Netherlands is also pumping the brakes on reforms for transgender citizens. A bill introduced in 2021 to make it easier for trans individuals to change their gender registration on official documents was recently withdrawn. 'This cabinet is letting transgender people down in an unprecedented way,' chair Remke Verdegem said of the decision. The wave of conservative policies mirrors the harsh immigration and anti-trans policies of the Trump administration. Grover Wehman-Brown, an American looking to move to the Netherlands, recently told Newsweek, that as a trans individual, they felt increasing fear living in the US. Wehman-Brown said that they experienced a 'constant threat and vigilance' growing up trans in rural Ohio, and was now starting to see those tensions again. 'I had gone to the Netherlands once 15 years ago, and I really liked the short amount of time I spent there, so I was like, "this is really a lovely place where everybody seems busy and purposeful, but cooperating well together and things are running smoothly,'" they added. Wehman-Brown isn't the only one, with a survey by the Immigration Advice Authority citing that one in four Americans were weighing emigration after Trump's 2024 win. Canada has also emerged as a leading destination for fed-up Americans to relocate. However, any refuge could be short lived if the president makes good on his threats to turn the country into America's 51st state. Almost 500 fleeing US citizens have tried to claim asylum in Canada since the billionaire's re-election. But liberals seeking refuge from Trump's America have been dealt a crushing blow after their favorite sanctuary issued a brutal crackdown. The Canadian government is bringing in emergency powers to make it easier to block applications and its border agency says the proposed overhaul is to 'protect the system.' Other popular destinations for American progressives include Portugal and Spain. Interracial lesbian couple Doris Davis and Susie Bartlett living in NYC told Reuters in May they are considering the move. 'We love this country, but we don't love what it has become. When your identity is being attacked, there is a personal sense of... anger (and) frustration,' Davis said.
Bloomberg
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Dutch Far-Right Leader's Bid for More Power Risks Flopping
Geert Wilders is betting that triggering the collapse of an unloved Dutch government will position him to emerge stronger and become the nation's dominant political figure, but signs are emerging that the far-right leader's gambit could backfire. By alienating potential coalition partners and testing the patience of weary voters, Wilders is losing support compared to the last election and his Freedom Party's lead over the GreenLeft–Labour alliance has narrowed.
News.com.au
06-06-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Dutch election set for Oct 29 after government falls
The Netherlands will hold snap elections on October 29, authorities announced Friday, after far-right leader Geert Wilders pulled out of the ruling coalition, bringing down the government and sparking political chaos. "We have officially set the election date: the... elections will take place on Wednesday 29 October 2025," Interior Minister Judith Uitermark wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "In the coming period, I will work with the municipalities and other stakeholders to prepare so that this important day in our democracy goes smoothly," added the minister. The vote in the European Union's fifth-largest economy and major global exporter will be closely watched in Europe, where far-right parties have made significant electoral gains. Polls suggest Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV) is running neck-and-neck with the Left/Green group of former European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans. The liberal VVD party stands just behind in the polls, suggesting the election will be closely fought. The election was prompted by the dramatic withdrawal of Wilders and the PVV from a shaky ruling coalition in a row over immigration policy. Wilders grumbled that the Netherlands was not fast enough to implement the "strictest-ever" immigration policy agreed by the four-way coalition -- and pulled out. He had stunned the political establishment in the Netherlands by winning November 2023 elections by a significant margin -- clinching 37 seats out of the 150 in parliament. The fractured nature of Dutch politics means no one party is ever strong enough to win 76 seats and govern with an absolute majority. Wilders persuaded the VVD, the BBB farmers party, and the anti-corruption NSC party to govern with him -- but the price was to give up his ambition to become prime minister. - Far-right rise - The PVV has apparently lost some support since that election, with recent surveys suggesting they would win around 28 to 30 seats. But the issue after the coming election will be: who will enter into a coalition with Wilders and the PVV? There was widespread fury with the far-right leader for bringing down the government over what many saw as an artificial crisis. Far-right parties have been on the rise across Europe. In May, the far-right Chega ("Enough") party took second place in Portugal's elections. In Germany, the anti-immigration far-right AfD doubled its score in legislative elections in February, reaching 20.8 percent. And in Britain, polls show the anti-immigration, hard-right Reform UK party of Nigel Farage is making significant gains following a breakthrough in local elections. ric/jhb
Irish Times
04-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Geert Wilders gambles on election at the risk of losing political allies
Geert Wilders 's second taste of power lasted less than a year. Will Europe's veteran populist ever get another? The far-right firebrand brought down the Dutch government on Tuesday, 17 months after winning national elections for the first time and forming one of the most rightwing coalitions in history. But his patience with the constraints of governing snapped as his partners refused to sign up to an immigration policy that they said was almost certainly illegal. 'I will continue and become the next prime minister of the Netherlands,' Wilders told the media as the incumbent, Dick Schoof, tendered his resignation to the king. READ MORE For the anti-Islamic politician, the move was a trademark political gamble: create upheaval, stand out as the authentic voice of the far right, and rely on voters to make his Freedom Party impossible to ignore. But in the notoriously fragmented arena of Dutch politics, where 15 parties claim seats in parliament, it is a gamble that still requires Wilders ultimately finding allies to share power – a task he is making ever more difficult. 'It's unlikely anyone will govern with Wilders again,' said Sarah de Lange, professor of political pluralism at the University of Amsterdam. Wilders's three coalition partners had already scotched his dream to claim the premiership after he won the November 2023 election. They agreed to join a government but only if the volatile Wilders was not in charge. The compromise saw the four party leaders remain in parliament, naming technocrats and other MPs to the cabinet. Wilders picked Schoof, a former spy chief with no political experience. He had no party affiliation and struggled to control the unwieldy coalition. But his old knack for uncovering secrets would have often seemed essential: ministers gathered in party groups before cabinet meetings to agree positions, with Schoof largely kept out of the loop. Even attempts to team build fell flat. One morale-boosting card game was reportedly interrupted when Pieter Omtzigt, the leader and founder of the centre-right New Social Contract, walked out over a budget disagreement. He has since quit politics, handing over to his deputy. Wilders's move to abandon the four-way coalition, where his Freedom party was the biggest group, was interpreted as an attempt to put migration at the heart of any new election campaign. But for his coalition partners and rivals, the abrupt move seemed to reinforce his role as the renegade of Dutch politics. Even his closest government allies rounded on him, including the radical rightwing Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB), which had backed his campaign to 'put the Dutch first'. 'I think Geert Wilders is betraying the Netherlands,' said Mona Keijzer, the BBB housing minister, on her way into the cabinet meeting. 'He ultimately put himself first, instead of the Netherlands.' Sophie Hermans, of the conservative liberal VVD, said she was 'angry, pissed off, disappointed'. 'How can you do this at such a moment, when you look at what is going on in the world and in our country?' The veteran anti-Islam campaigner, who lives in a safe house because of death threats, had attacked the government repeatedly over asylum policy. 'I signed up for the strictest asylum policy, not for the downfall of the Netherlands,' he said. However, other party leaders said the asylum minister, Marjolein Faber of the Freedom Party, had declined to present proposals on how to cut numbers arriving. 'He's blaming the others for the failure of his own minister,' said a senior member of one of the coalition parties. Immigration policy has become the bane of several Dutch coalition governments. Mark Rutte, the long-time prime minister from the VVD, broke up his own coalition in 2023 for refusing to back tougher migration policies. The Netherlands, one of the world's most densely populated countries, has struggled to accommodate hundreds of thousands of refugees in recent years. Reception centres overflowed and a housing shortage was exacerbated. Wilders responded with a 10-point plan to cut migration and demanded the other coalition leaders signed. It included using the army to patrol the border, closing refugee accommodation centres and sending home all Syrian refugees because the country is now safe. It would also ban family members from joining refugees who were already in the Netherlands. But for all the friction over migration policy within the coalition, polls suggest the Netherlands could return to its more traditional centrist position. The Dutch set the populist pace for the EU in 2022 when the BBB won regional elections and then again when Wilders topped the 2023 poll. But no party has suffered more in polls since the election than Wilders. One person close to the VVD said the current leader, Dilan Yesilgoz, had erred in the last campaign by failing to rule out a deal with Wilders, which boosted his profile. 'Now he's had a chance and blown it. He's heading for opposition. The next election will be about security and defence.' Dutch politics is so volatile that the NSC and BBB are likely to be almost wiped out at the election, expected in September The VVD, which can govern with the centre left or centre right, is polling between 25-31 seats, about the same as the Freedom party. The Labour/Green alliance led by former European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans is between 25 and 29. The resurgent Christian Democrats, who suffered heavily from defections to the NSC, set up by their former MP Omtzigt, are on 16-20. Any government needs 76 of the 150 MPs in the lower house of parliament. Deniz Horzum, a former Dutch official, said it would be a traditional battle between left and right. 'Expect VVD and Labour/GreenLeft to turn this into a political duopoly: vote for me or you get the crazies on the other side.' He said a coalition led by either would return one of the founder members of the European project to the centre of EU affairs. 'After years of punching above our weight in Brussels, we started shooting ourselves in the foot during this last period. A more traditional, stable and centrist coalition might help restore our position.' – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025
