‘Human rights lost’ as anti-Islam party leads in Dutch election, says rights group

By Selman Aksunger

AMSTERDAM (AA) – The Dutch branch of Amnesty International said on Thursday that “human rights lost" as anti-Islam and far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) took the lead in the general elections held on Nov. 22.

"Human rights lost yesterday. A racist party won the Dutch elections, a party that labels a certain part of the population as inferior and excludes them,” said the rights group on X.

Highlighting the PVV's anti-immigrant stance, the statement pointed out that the election manifesto of Greet Wilders' party undermined the rule of law and the constitution.

The statement highlighted the commitment to continue the struggle for human rights for everyone and at all times.

In the 2021 elections, PVV, which won 17 seats in the parliament, increased this number to 37.

Another far-right party, the Forum for Democracy led by Thierry Baudet, lost five seats compared to the 2021 elections, reducing its seats to three, and the JA21 Party also decreased from 3 seats to 1.

The number of MPs elected by the Socialist Party, led by Lilian Marijnissen, decreased by 4 compared to the 2021 elections, falling to 5.

The Farmers' Citizen Movement Party, which had the most seats in the Dutch Senate and won one seat in the House of Representatives in 2021, gained 7 seats.

*Writing by Esra Tekin in Istanbul