Geert Wilders Slams ‘Dictator’ Dutch Premier for Ruling out Coalition

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch firebrand populist Geert Wilders is accusing Prime Minister Mark Rutte of behaving like a “dictator” by ruling out a coalition with Wilders’ Party for Freedom after national elections on March 15.

Two months ahead of the polls, Wilders is riding high in opinion polls, but appears increasingly unlikely to be able to form a majority government.

Rutte said in an interview Sunday that the chance of his center-right Liberal Party forming a coalition with Wilders’ party was “zero.”

Rutte was the latest mainstream politician to rule out working with Wilders, meaning that the fiery lawmaker who wants to drastically rein in immigration and lead the Netherlands out of the European Union appears unlikely to be this country’s next prime minister.