Criminal Complaint Filed Against Geert Wilders Over Social Media Post

In a significant political development in the Netherlands, a criminal complaint has been filed against Geert Wilders, the leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV), by the national anti-discrimination organization Discriminatie.nl and 14 Muslim groups. The complaint is in response to a social media post shared by Wilders on August 4, 2025, which has led to an unprecedented 12,500 discrimination reports. This number is the highest ever recorded by Discriminatie.nl for a single incident. The case has ignited a national debate on freedom of speech, Islamophobia, and political polarization, with the Dutch parliamentary elections scheduled for October 29, 2025.

Background on Wilders and the PVV

Geert Wilders, a well-known far-right politician with a history of anti-Islam rhetoric, has been the leader of the PVV since its establishment in 2006. The party saw a significant increase in support during the November 2023 elections, securing 37 seats and becoming the largest party in the Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives). However, coalition negotiations have stalled, and Wilders has not become prime minister. His political platform centers on issues of immigration, Islam, and multiculturalism, portraying the PVV as a defender of Dutch identity.

Wilders has faced legal challenges regarding his statements in the past. In 2016, he was convicted of inciting discrimination against Moroccans after famously asking supporters if they wanted "fewer Moroccans" in the Netherlands. While he was not fined, the case highlighted the legal boundaries between political speech and hate speech under Dutch law. The PVV's platform includes proposals such as banning the Quran in public buildings, closing mosques, and halting immigration from Muslim-majority countries.

The Controversial Post

On August 4, 2025, Wilders posted an image on X (formerly Twitter) that has since gone viral and drawn widespread criticism. The image features two half-faces of women. The left side, labeled "PVV," shows a young, blonde woman with blue eyes, intended to symbolize youth and Dutch heritage. The right side, labeled "PvdA" (referring to the Labor Party), shows an older woman wearing a headscarf, a depiction critics say plays on stereotypes of foreignness and Islam. The caption reads: "The choice is yours on 10/29."

The post has been widely compared to Nazi-era propaganda, which often used similar imagery to demonize specific groups. Complainants have described the post as "tasteless," "hateful," and "racist," and discriminatory on the basis of religion, origin, gender, and age. Discriminatie.nl has noted that the imagery promotes an "us-versus-them" narrative that stigmatizes Muslims and portrays them as a threat to Dutch society.

The Legal Response

Within days of the post, Discriminatie.nl, which operates a national hotline for reporting discrimination, received over 2,500 complaints. This number quickly grew to more than 12,500 by August 11, 2025. This surge prompted the organization, which represents 19 regional anti-discrimination bureaus, to file a criminal complaint against Wilders on August 12, 2025. The complaint accuses him of inciting hatred, group insult, and discrimination. Several regional offices, including those in Groningen and Curaçao, have joined the legal action, with the Groningen office alone reporting over 475 complaints.