First Published: Before August 2002
This is an OutUK Archive Item and so some of the links and information may be out of date.
DUTCH RIGHT-WING GAY POLITICIAN SHOT DEADOpenly gay Dutch right wing politician Pim Fortuyn has been shot dead as he was leaving a radio studio in Hilversum just outside Amsterdam. His anti-immigration party was predicted to get at least 15% of the vote in the country's forthcoming general elections. | |
| He used his sexuality to campaign against what he described as the Islamisation of European culture and described Islam as a backward religion. Earlier this year Pim was sacked as leader of the Living Netherlands party after calling for legislation banning racial discrimination to be scrapped. | 
|
| Nevertheless his campaign pledges
against immigration and in favour of cracking down on crime have been found much support
in a supposedly liberal and tolerant Netherlands.
Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok breaking off campaigning said "This is deeply tragic first of all for him and for all his loved ones. It is also deeply tragic for our democracy," while Ad Melkert, leader of the governing socialists, said "It's hard to grasp this can happen in The Netherlands. Dutch democracy has lost its innocence." | |