THE HAGUE, 03/03/09 - Controversial MP Geert Wilders has reacted with pleasure to a poll according to which his Party for Freedom (PVV) would be the Netherlands' biggest party. "As far as I am concerned elections can be held tomorrow; then I will be the next premier."

The PVV would according to prominent pollster Maurice de Hond win 27 seats in the 150-member Lower House if elections were held now. This is one more than the Christian democrats (CDA). This is the first time the PVV has emerged as the biggest party in a poll.

The PVV has risen in recent weeks thanks to apparent setbacks. First, the Amsterdam appeal court ruled that Wilders must be prosecuted for incitement to hatred and insulting of Muslims as a group. And subsequently, the UK refused him entry to the country.

In the US on the other hand, Wilders was greeted by neo-conservatives - as by a growing portion of the Dutch population - as a martyr for freedom of speech. The contrasts with Europe are great. A conservative philosopher said of his impact in the American media: "He is more than a hero. He is a celebrity".

Wilders says his criticism of Islam is dealt with much less frenetically in America. "In the Netherlands, the elite consider that you may not speak as I do, but here (in the US) freedom is in the genes. (...) I notice that in this country, at least arguments are exchanged. The Netherlands and Europe could adopt this as an example."

According to Wilders, the Pentagon shares his fears of a 'Eurabia'. "I have spoken with Pentagon staff, and they fear for the stability of Europe if the influence of Islam grows further."

Last week, the PVV leader showed Fitna, his short film against Islam, five times in the US, including in the Lyndon B. Johnson auditorium in the Capitol building at the invitation of Republican Senator Jon Kyl. "Can you imagine: in the Netherlands, you go to prison if you show the film, and here you are welcome in the parliament." Fitna was also shown in the National Press Club.

Wilders predicted in the US that his PVV would one day become the biggest party in the Netherlands. According to De Hond, this would already happen now if there were elections, which did somewhat surprise Wilders. "Really? Are we the biggest? How happy I am about this! These are of course just polls, but it is an enormous sign of confidence from the Dutch voter. (...) As far as I am concerned, elections can be held tomorrow, then I am the next premier."

After PVV and CDA, Labour (PvdA) comes third in De Hond's new poll with 21 seats. Next come centre-left D66 with 19, the Socialist Party (SP) with 18 and the conservatives (VVD) with 17. Rita Verdonk's Proud of the Netherlands (TON) wins only two seats. The government parties CDA, PvdA and small Christian party ChristenUnie together achieve only 52 seats, the lowest score since the government took office.

De Hond also polled how the supporters of Wilders are composed according to media preferences. Among readers of De Telegraaf newspaper, 37 percent would vote for him, while readers of NRC Handelsblad are least inclined to do so (7 percent). Among public broadcasters, TROS has the most members in the Wilders camp (42 percent) and VARA (7 percent) and EO (5 percent) the least. VARA incidentally is the broadcaster that makes the most opinion programmes of all broadcasters.