Dutch Islamophobe hits political nerve

In the street market outside Almere's glass-fronted Stadhuis - the council offices - stalls are selling clothes and toys, typical Dutch sausages and cuts of glistening ham.

At another stall, occasional shoppers inspect piles of Islamic headscarves and ankle-length gowns. But if many of the councillors in the Stadhuis have their way, that stall will not be doing a roaring trade for much longer.

The party that won most seats in the municipal elections in Almere earlier this year - although it failed to form a governing coalition - would like to ban the wearing of headscarves in public buildings such as the Stadhuis, and ban the construction of new mosques.

That party is the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) of Geert Wilders, the populist firebrand behind the anti-Islamic film Fitna, who has accused Muslims of trying to "colonise" his country.

Three months ago, 30 per cent of Almere's voters backed the PVV and Wilders was being tipped as a possible Prime Minister in forthcoming elections on June 9. "Today Almere and The Hague," said Wilders - "tomorrow the whole of the Netherlands. This is our springboard for success."

His poll fortunes may have diminished somewhat since then, as the country's mainstream parties have toughened up their own acts on immigration.

But the blond-mulleted Islamophobe may yet be credited with transforming how Holland does politics.

Outside the Stadhuis, the Islamic stallholder, a bearded Muslim in early middle age, does not seem unduly bothered by local support for the PVV.

"People are very nice here," he says while selling his wares. "I've never had any problems here with anyone."

Analysts have suggested that the PVV's recent rise was an expression of disillusionment from a population fed up with the mainstream parties.

There is embarrassment at drawing unwelcome attention to "tolerant" Holland as Belgium passes its own headscarf prohibition and France moves in a similar direction.

Almere does not want to be seen as in the vanguard of Europe's culture wars. Its occupants are often unwilling to talk about the coming elections, and no one here seems to have voted PVV.

Almere is one of the most multicultural cities in Holland - perhaps in Europe - hosting 181 nationalities. Just 39 per cent of those living in the city are native Dutch, half born in Amsterdam, who were attracted by the idea of a quiet life in the midst of the green polder.

The rest come from Suriname, Turkey, Morocco and Vietnam attracted by the low-cost housing.

Mackiel Kuppenol, a 42-year-old software engineer, said: "This is all about emotions going up and down," he says his finger describing a curve that suggests that the PVV has peaked.

"It is a protest against the mainstream political parties. I mean ... you've been here? You've counted the women with headscarves in the street at any time? You can do it on one hand."

MODERN ALMERE

Where: Half an hour by train from Amsterdam, on the flat plain of the Flevoland polder - a tract of land enclosed by dykes bordering the waters of the Markermeer.
When: Built as an overspill city for Amsterdam's growing population, the first house in this city of more than 170,000 was finished in 1976.
Known for: Its multiculturalism. It contains 181 nationalities and only 39 per cent of residents are native Dutch.

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