Nieuw Rechts (New Right) is a nationalist Dutch political party, founded by Michiel Smit in 2003,
History
Michiel Smit was secretary of Pim Fortuyn's local Leefbaar Rotterdam party. He was elected into the Rotterdam city council in March 2002. After the assassination of Fortuyn, May 6 2002, the Leefbaar Rotterdam party was leaderless. In February 2003 the new leadership, led by Ronald Sörensen, forced Michiel Smit and several others out of the Leefbaar Rotterdam party, after Smit admitted to having contact with Filip Dewinter of the Vlaams Belang and operating on neo-nazi internet fora.
Smit however held on to his seat in the Rotterdam city council, forming a one person party, called Nieuw Rechts. From this position Smit started to build up the Nieuw Rechts party. He tried to set up local branches all over the Netherlands, but this has failed, except in Rotterdam. In the first electoral campaign, in 2004 European Elections the party attracted 0,3% of the votes, and no seats. In the Dutch municipal elections of 2006 New Right fielded candidates in Rotterdam, Ridderkerk, Almelo and Eindhoven, obtaining 0.06% of the total vote and one seat in the council of Ridderkerk. It is expected that Smit will contest in the General Election of 2007, but he is not expect to play a major role.
Ideology
New Right's ideology is based on conservatism, liberalism and nationalism. Like other euronationalist parties, the party is accused of racism. The party itself rejects this label.
The most important issue for the New Right is immigration and integration of Muslims. He holds controversial views like forced repatriation of criminal foreigners and mandatory Dutch services in mosques.
External links
- Nieuw Rechts
- Nieuw Rechts Rotterdam
- Weblog Michiel Smit
- Jong Rechts 'Young Right' - the youth section of the party.
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