Raymond Mens is shocked by Geert Wilders’ leaked apps. He says at the bar of the influential Today Inside that he finds the PVV leader ‘without level’. “It’s really a blunder.”
The Volkskrant published app messages from Geert Wilders himself last weekend, showing that in the run-up to the last elections, the PVV leader was looking for ‘an excuse’ not to have to participate in election debates ‘without them calling me a coward’. He asked his former right-hand man Gidi Markuszower to ‘come up with a trick’.
Please, please, please
In any case, Wilders did not want to go to the RTL debate. “Please, please, please,” he texted Gidi, who has now left the faction. Fifteen minutes later, Wilders learned from Belgian media that he was also on a list of jihadists who had prepared an attack on Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever, but had been arrested early.
Although the NCTV informed him that there was ‘no residual threat’, Wilders ultimately used this to cancel the RTL debate. Due to Wilders’ resignation, D66 leader Rob Jetten ultimately became Prime Minister. He was allowed to participate in the RTL debate in his place, which gave him a boost in the polls.
Very relevant
There is commentary on Gidi Markuszower because he leaked the apps, but Raymond Mens thinks differently. “I find it very relevant that Wilders now rails against Rob Jetten day in and day out, but his decision not to go to that debate has made Rob Jetten prime minister. That is of course very relevant information.”
Wilfred Genee responded to this Today Inside: “Yes, he stood on 14 seats for the RTL debate, right, D66.”
Raymond: “Yes, the most frequently asked question to Jetten during interviews was – he also sat with Eva a few days before that debate: ‘Why is your campaign doing so poorly?’”
Not in shape
The D66 campaign went into full swing due to Wilders’ cancellation. “Yes, that changed in one evening during that RTL debate. And if Wilders is responsible for that…,” said Raymond.
Political reporter Jeanneau van Beurden: “This has done him very well.”
Johan Derksen: “I also don’t understand why Wilders doesn’t want to go to a debate, because that’s what he’s the best at.”
Wilfred: “Yes, but he was not in shape and you also felt that he was a bit tired. You already noticed a kind of weariness on him.”
Levelless
René van der Gijp thinks the same. “Yes, normally he could attack others and now he was attacked himself all the time. That doesn’t make you happy.”
Raymond: “If you send to an MP: ‘Please, please, please, do you have an excuse for me?’, isn’t that pointless?”
Table guest Job Knoester: “Then it’s better to stop if you’re in such a state. Then you have to get out on time.”
Johan concludes: “This is really a blunder on Wilders’ part.”
