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Chris Jansen, the Netherlands' newly appointed Secretary of State for Infrastructure and Water Management, has retracted his support for Party for Freedom (PVV) leader Geert Wilders' 2014 call for «fewer Moroccans» in the country amid growing backlash from across the political spectrum.
During a Monday morning television appearance, Jansen reiterated his agreement with Wilders' remarks, which had been ruled insulting to Moroccans as a group by Dutch courts. The comments drew swift condemnation from several parties, including Prime Minister Dick Schoof's coalition partners, who demanded an explanation, according to Dutch media.
In response, Jansen sent a letter to the House of Representatives distancing himself from his statements, writing that his «personal views do not reflect cabinet policy». The letter was reportedly sent with Prime Minister Schoof's knowledge.
Jansen's comments have reignited the debate surrounding Wilders' original statements from March 2014, when he asked a crowd whether they wanted «more or fewer Moroccans» in the Netherlands, to which attendees chanted back «Fewer! Fewer!» The incident sparked widespread controversy and accusations of inciting racial hatred.
Dutch courts initially found that while Wilders' comments were insulting, they did not constitute incitement to discrimination or hate speech. However, on appeal in 2020, The Hague Court of Appeal ruled that the comments were «unnecessarily offensive» and insulting to Moroccans as a group, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court in July 2021.
Jansen's initial support for Wilders' comments and subsequent retraction has brought discussions about racism, discrimination, and free speech to the forefront of Dutch politics once again. MP Habtamu de Hoop of the GroenLinks-PvdA alliance called Jansen's retraction «sensible» but expressed concern that the Secretary still personally supports Wilders' «reprehensible statement».
