16 May, 2012 - 21:00

Wilders seeks injunction to block fiscal pact

Freedom Party (PVV) leader Geert Wilders is seeking an injunction against the Dutch state in a bid to scrap the European Stability Mechanism, a permanent bailout fund which is part of a EU fiscal pact to reinforce economic surveillance. Wilders said on Wednesday that leading lawyer Bram Moszkowicz will represent him in the case.

The PVV leader wants the court to block what he has described as “an unlawful action”. Wilders claims that by agreeing to the new pact, the Netherlands will be handing over more power to Brussels. He says it is not right that a caretaker government should make such important decisions without taking voters’ wishes into account.
Wilders had tried to garner support on the issue in parliament, but only 41 out of a total of 150 MPs backed him – not enough to postpone a decision until after general elections on 12 September. Wilders referred to the MPs who backed him as “a substantial minority”.
"We know Mr Wilders"
The democrat party D66’s leader Alexander Pechtold said Wilders’ plan was peculiar but not surprising. “He’s in a mood…we know Mr Wilders by now.”

Last month, Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s coalition government collapsed after Wilders – who had an agreement to support the cabinet in parliament - stormed out of negotiations on ways to meet the EU deficit target of three percent.

The Netherlands, which prides itself on fiscal prudence, has been one of the strongest advocates for strict enforcement of the three percent deficit limit in the EU but had difficulty meeting the target itself.

(jn)