Wilders said he would make a Dutch referendum on European Union membership a central theme of his campaign to become prime minister in the run-up to the 2017 parliamentary election, adding that this would allow him to tackle other issues as well.
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“There is no future any more (for the EU)”.
Given that the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union – a move supported by Johnson and Trump, and which inspired Wilders to call for a similar referendum to take place in Netherlands – many people have noticed the similarity between the three men.
“The British people have given to Europeans and to all the people of the world a shining lesson in democracy”, Le Pen said with a broad smile on her face. “As I’ve been saying for years, we must now have the same referendum in France and other European Union countries”.
“As quickly as possible the Dutch need to get the opportunity to have their say about Dutch membership of the European Union”.
Eurosceptics were triumphant Friday after Britain voted to leave the EU and swiftly demanded referendums in their own countries in what could sound the death knell for the European project. Le Pen is the front-runner among the candidates for next year’s French presidential election, although polls claim she would be likely to lose in a run-off. Her deputy, Florian Philippot said: “Our turn now #Brexit #Frexit”.
Analysts and a few FN officials and allies have said its protectionist, anti-euro policy was partly to blame for holding the party back in the past.
In Denmark the populist Danish People’s Party (DPP), which has been calling for a renegotiation of its accords with the European Union, hailed what it called a “courageous” decision by the British.
Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen rejected the calls, but acknowledged that the British vote raised the possibility of a “slimmer EU”.
“Let June 23 go down in our history as our independence day”, said Britain’s top anti-EU campaigner Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party.
Rutte said it was “important now, also in the interest of the Netherlands, is that we try to find a solution step-by-step and in a stable manner”.
Elections are not due in the Netherlands until next year, but since last year polls have consistently shown support for the Freedom Party (PVV) climbing on the back of the refugee crisis.
“I believe that the Danes obviously should have a referendum on whether we want to follow Britain or keep things the way we have it now”, DF party leader Kristian Thulesen Dahl told broadcaster DR.
Italy’s Five-Star party is pushing for a referendum on whether to keep the euro following a boost in support at the polls.
“Whether you like it or not the British people have chosen”, said lower house deputy Alessandro Di Battista, a member of 5-Star’s leadership committee.
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Italy’s Northern League, another Euroskeptic group, is also calling for a law that would allow such a referendum to take place.
