NOT all political parties in Holland approve of Geert Wilders’ exploits. Criticism has also emerged from Wilders’ former party, the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie—VVD). Wilders left this party after 15 years, and three years ago he founded the Party for Freedom (Partij voor de Vrijheid—PVV).

Despite having once been in the same boat with Wilders, Mark Rutte, 41, the VVD faction leader