Dutch election winner criticises support for Ukrainian refugees
20 February 2024 13:11
The leader of the Dutch Freedom Party, Geert Wilders, who won the recent parliamentary elections, sharply criticised the current Dutch government’s policy towards Ukrainian refugees. He posted the relevant post in X, reports 
“Ukrainians are coming to the Netherlands from all over the EU not because of the war, but for free housing, free healthcare and our jobs. The Netherlands has once again become the village idiot of Europe,”
– he wrote.
“Freedom Party”
Geert Wilders is a Dutch far-right politician, founder of the most popular far-right Freedom Party, a critic of Islam and refugees. He is known for his love of Russia and hostility towards Ukraine. He opposes any support for Ukraine and Ukraine’s accession to the EU and NATO.
“The Freedom Party, headed by Wilders, won the federal parliamentary elections in November last year and received 37 seats in the Dutch parliament. The second place (25 seats) went to the Alliance of Labour and the Green Left, and the third place went to the party of the current Prime Minister Mark Rutte (24 seats). After that, the process of coalition formation began, which usually takes a long time in the Netherlands. Last time, for example, it took 271 days to form a coalition. Given that the parties following the Freedom Party have radically different political views, it is likely that the election winners will not join the coalition at all.
Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands
Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands are indeed provided with free accommodation (most often a bed or a room in a hostel) and meals. Less often, Ukrainians are taken in by Dutch families. Ukrainian refugees receive 55 euros of personal allowance and 205 euros as payment for meals. All have the right and opportunity to find work. All refugees are entitled to free medical care and school education for children.
