In referendums in 2005, the Dutch and the French electorates rejected the European Constitution, which aimed to turn the E.U. into a genuine state. But Brussels refused to take no for an answer. It went ahead with its plans for a constitutional treaty, notwithstanding the people's opposition. Brussels thinks it knows better than the people.
We want to make our own Netherlands, to close our borders and to keep all that money that we give to the foreigners, there is billions, to Africa for development, to Brussels, to Greece, to asylum seekers in the Netherlands, we will stop that and give all that money to the Dutch people living in the Netherlands.
We can never allow people who use nondemocratic means, people who use violence instead of arguments, people who use knives instead of debates, we can never allow them to set the agenda.
Unfortunately, there is a tendency among political elites to distrust the opinions of ordinary people. They are perceived to base their views on dark instincts and unjustified fears, rather than on rational choices. European voters, however, are highly educated, and it is ridiculous to suppose they can be easily fooled or manipulated.
On Islam, it is true that I am tough. Perhaps tougher than I should be if my only aim was to get votes.
We want the Netherlands to leave the E.U., join EFTA and, like Switzerland, negotiate bilateral trade agreements with the E.U. and the rest of the world.
I believe the Islamic ideology is a retarded, dangerous one, but I make a distinction. I don't hate people. I don't hate Muslims.
Israel is a lighthouse and the only democracy in a dark and tyrannical region. It's part of us, of our European identity.
I make a clear distinction between the people and the ideology, between Muslims and Islam, recognizing that there are many moderate Muslims.