Depressing news:
A Dutch anti-Islam party has more than doubled its seats in parliament in a national vote, though it is unclear if it will take part in a coalition.
The leader of the "Freedom Party" is Geert Wilders who might be known to some of you via a right wing chain email that was sent around about a year ago:
I come to America with a mission. All is not well in the old world. There is a tremendous danger looming, and it is very difficult to be optimistic. We might be in the final stages of the Islamization of Europe. This not only is a clear and present danger to the future of Europe itself, it is a threat to America and the sheer survival of the West.
This guy isn't going away, in fact he's on the rise. As is a resurgent far right in Europe.
The unexpected big winner was the anti-Islam Freedom Party, the PVV, which took its number of seats from nine in the last parliament to 24 - its best-ever finish.
Many right wing Americans view this guy as defender of Christianity in a Europe drowning in Muslims. But lets take a look at his actual policy positions:
Mr Wilders has campaigned to stop the "Islamisation of the Netherlands".
He wants the Koran banned, and has suggested a tax on headscarves worn by Muslim women.
That's not "freedom" as I understand it.
And lets take a look at some of his international supporters, here the EDL (English Defense League) march in London as Geert Weilders visits to promote his anti Islam film Fitna:
(Skip to 3.40, and the lady @ 4.20 makes my day)
A couple of years ago he visited the US and at the invitation of Sen. Jon Kyl (R) showed the film.
One hopes a left/right coalition government will form in the Netherlands, leaving Wilders and his "Freedom Party" out of government. But my concern is that while we face tough economic times around the globe extremist politics will continue to flourish.