Maarten van Rossem finds it hilarious that Geert Wilders has the ambition to co-govern. The jury member of De Slimste Mens thinks the PVV leader has no chance. “Hahahahaha. He wants to participate!”
Geert Wilders says he has taken the rough edges off his asylum plans and in doing so he hopes to offer an opening to other (center) right parties. The PVV leader would like to participate in government to prevent Frans Timmermans’ ‘left-wing cloud’ from ending up in a coalition.
‘Hahahaha!’
The Smartest Person jury member Maarten van Rossem finds it laughable. “Hahahahaha. He wants to participate! The cameras were ready, he walked up and gosh, Geert has practiced all day to look friendly. It was really very funny, haha,” he laughs podcast Maarten.
At the moment, Wilders is really putting on an incredible act, says Maarten. “Normally he is grumpy as hell and now he was suddenly friendliness itself. I give him zero chance of participating.”
Sharp edges
What does Maarten think about Wilders taking the sharp edges out of his asylum policy? “No. He didn’t do that at all. Quite a few. I don’t think there is any need for a ministry anymore to deal with the Islamists or something like that, but in essence not much has changed. I also thought about a zero admission policy and such.”
However, the PVV voter will not accept the watering down of asylum positions at all, Maarten thinks. “He cannot suddenly become a kind of VVD+.”
Unacceptable
Could Maarten live with it if PVV came into government? “I would find it completely unacceptable if he were to join the government. Completely unacceptable. I would find it unacceptable given the history of the PVV.”
However, the VVD no longer rules it out. “It is of course sympathetic from the VVD, but I see it more as an electoral strategy: you can also vote for us, because we are also prepared to work with the PVV, but forming a coalition with the PVV is virtually impossible . All other parties do not want it.”
Siding
The 60-year-old Wilders is clearly desperate now that his party remains on the sidelines, Maarten concludes. “He doesn’t know how to get off the sidetrack. I also believe that the switches have been destroyed and it is a hopeless situation.”