In a dramatic turn of events that nobody saw coming, 7 PVV members of parliament have rebelled against party leader Geert Wilders and formed their own faction.
The move slashes Wilders’ parliamentary seats from 26 to just 19, making GroenLinks-PvdA the largest opposition party overnight.
The split happened during a fractional meeting earlier today where the seven rebels, led by prominent PVV member Gidi Markuszower, confronted Wilders about the party’s direction. “We tried to start a discussion, but that proved impossible,” Markuszower told journalists afterwards.
The breakaway group includes heavy hitters like Shanna Schilder (number three on the candidate list), Annelotte Lammers (number four), and fellow MPs René Claassen, Nicole Moinat, Tamara ten Hove, and Hidde Heutink.
What sparked the rebellion
According to a document obtained by NOS, the seven had been planning this for a while. They demanded immediate changes to how Wilders runs the party, citing concerns about recent electoral losses and plummeting poll numbers.
Their main gripes? The PVV hasn’t delivered enough for voters, and Wilders being the party’s sole member puts its entire future at risk. They’re referring to proposed legislation that would ban political parties without members, which would effectively kill the PVV as it currently exists.
The rebels also wanted Wilders to be more constructive and work better with both coalition partners and opposition parties. They even suggested that perhaps someone else could lead the party for a change.
One particularly stinging criticism in their document? Wilders posting “offensive images on X about Islam might be allowed, but ultimately we’re not solving any of our voters’ problems with it.”
Wilders blindsided (apparently)
Speaking to a scrum of journalists in the corridors of the Tweede Kamer, Wilders claimed to be completely surprised by the split. “It’s a black day for the PVV,” he said, insisting that the party had discussed these issues over recent weeks and everyone had agreed.
According to Wilders, the fundamental disagreement boils down to strategy. The seven wanted the PVV to be more cooperative and seek partnerships across the political spectrum.
“That’s not what we’re planning to do,” Wilders stated firmly. “And I’m not in favour of a party with members.”
He also pushed back on the rebels’ approach, saying a majority within the fractional determines the party’s course. “We can discuss a lot within the fractional, but not with a knife to the table. They don’t have a majority.”
Fellow PVV MP Dion Graus was less diplomatic, calling the departing seven “traitors” who had “cooked this up” in advance. Former minister Marjolein Faber declared she’s “staying PVV”.
The personal blow
For Wilders, Markuszower’s departure cuts particularly deep. “I’m not going to sling mud,” Wilders said. “He was not just a colleague but also a friend.”
Wilders actually tried to get Markuszower into the last cabinet, but he didn’t make it through the AIVD screening, widely rumoured because of ties to the Mossad, the Israeli secret service.
The rebels insist they don’t want to badmouth Wilders personally. They praised him for founding the party, “putting the Netherlands at number one,” and his “gigantic personal sacrifice.” Whether they’ll form their own political party remains to be seen, but they’re taking time to think it over.
This split comes at a particularly awkward moment for the PVV.
The party has been struggling ever since Wilders pulled the plug on his own coalition government last June, triggering snap elections scheduled for October.
His party just came in second place in those elections, but is now limping along with significantly fewer seats than anticipated, losing even more seats in the virtual polling.
Is this the beginning of the end for Wilders’ political dominance, or will he bounce back from this rebellion? Drop your predictions in the comments below.
