THE TIMES: Bouffant blond wigs have sold out in Venlo, a town in the Deep South of the Netherlands.
They represent the trademark bleached hairdo of Geert Wilders, Venlo’s most famous son and leader of the far-right Freedom Party which promises to ban mosque-building and the Koran and end Muslim immigration.
Mr Wilders is now involved in coalition talks after winning 24 seats in the 150-member Dutch parliament in this week’s election. Some commentators believe he could join a cabinet led by the right-wing liberals who topped the poll with 31 MPs.
In Venlo — in Limburg province, on the German border — one in four voters backed the man whose extravagant appearance has earned him the nickname “Mozart”.
Elian Van Ewijk, 35, the owner of a party gear shop, kept the last of the €6.95 (£6) hairpieces for himself.
“I do not like his ideas about Islam but I like what he says about keeping the retirement age and improving healthcare,” he said.
“When I am going to a Muslim country I have to behave like the people there. These people have to do things like us when they come here.” >>> David Charter, Venlo | Saturday, June 12, 2010
