Right-wing Dutch politician resigns following antisemitism scandal in party

The board of the youth branch of the Dutch right-wing Forum for Democracy expelled several of its members on 21st November, following several antisemitic posts and messages shared through groups in social networking platforms.

Across the messaging app WhatsApp and Instagram, young members had reportedly expressed sympathetic attitudes towards Nazi and fascist ideologies. A 23-year-old student, appointed as the coordinator of the Zuid-Holland branch of the Party, stated that: “Jews have international pedo networks and help women en masse into pornography”, and argued socialism would be the desirable solution. Within one group, multiple antisemitic songs, used originally as Nazi propaganda to incite hatred against Jews, were shared and praised.

Thierry Baudet, the leader of the group, has resigned as a result and claimed that assuming responsibility for the antisemitic content was not an immediate reason for stepping down from his position, despite calls for his removal prior to the internal disciplinary review.

Mr Baudet said, in a video published on his social media pages, that he was announcing his resignation and feared a “trial by the media” would ensue, with claims that Party members were willing to “throw people under the bus”. He has, however, urged all Party members responsible for the antisemitic materials and their enablers to leave the Party immediately.

The Party’s youth division is currently under investigation to establish how the messages were distributed and to identify all perpetrators.

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