THE HAGUE, 01/04/08 - Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV) has the most loyal following of all political parties in the Lower House. He is also the leader who is the most highly valued by his voters, according to findings of pollster Maurice de Hond.
On a scale of 1 to 10, PVV supporters give Wilders an 8.4. This makes their confidence in their leader clearly higher than for any other political leaders among their own supporters. Trends in recent weeks have only further boosted confidence in Wilders among the PVV following, said De Hond. He held the survey after last Thursday's release of Wilders' anti-Koran film 'Fitna'.
Compared with the 2006 general elections, the degree of loyalty among the PVV voters is higher at the moment than in the case of other parties. Among the entire electorate, 40 percent have changed their party preference since 2006. Among PVV voters, the figure is just 25 percent.
Some 75 percent of PVV voters in 2006 say they would vote PVV again now. Around 15 percent say they would switch to Proud of the Netherlands (TON). Almost nobody would switch to the conservatives (VVD).
Conversely, 18 percent of VVD voters in 2006 would now vote PVV. Even more (one-third) would switch to TON. Less than 40 percent of the VVD voters are still loyal to this party.
There is a similar pattern among Christian democratic (CDA) voters, although the exodus is smaller there. Some 8 percent would switch to PVV, with even more stepping over to TON and only 4 percent to VVD.
The PVV has 9 seats in the Lower House. According to De Hond, the party would now win 15, one more than a week ago. This would put it level with the VVD, which won 22 seats in 2006. TON would win 17 seats.
The degree of loyalty cannot be measured for TON followers because it did not exist in 2006. It will be launched officially this week, on 3 April. TON leader is Rita Verdonk, the former VVD Integration and Immigration minister.
TON supporters appear to be closer to the PVV than to the VVD. If TON did not exist at the moment, the PVV would win 25 seats. That means 10 of TON's 17 seats would go to the PVV, according to De Hond.
CDA would remain the biggest party with 33 seats (2006: 41). Next comes Labour (PvdA) with 22 (33) and the Socialist Party (SP) with 19 (25). After TON, PVV and VVD come the centre-left D66 with 10 - a strong comeback from 3 in 2006; the leftwing Greens (GroenLinks) with 9 (7), and small Christian party with 6 (6).
