Episode 10: In which I experience woe, woe, right-wing woe

Well, the 2010 UK general election produced an interesting result in that in produced the first coalition to govern in Britain since the second world war, however the 2010 general election here in the Netherlands was always going to give that result. Thanks to its proportional representation system, coalitions here are pretty much a given, with none of the 'Oh my god, our entire country's going to collapse if we haven't got a government for 5 days' mentality that was around in the UK back in May. I mean look at Belgium, they still haven't got a government and their election was way back in 855BC and they're doing fine. Oh wait...

Now, the election here produced a similar-ish result to the UK election, in that the single largest party was the centre-right party (the UK conservatives and the Dutch CDA). However, due to the much more splintered vote here even with the backing of another right-wing party (the VVD) they haven't got a majority. So, "to whom have they turned?" I hear no-one ask. Well, it's none other than that delightful fellow who goes by the name of Geert Wilders (think a more aryan Nick Griffin). Marvellous idea, chaps. Rather than reach out to say, the Greens or the PvdA (Labour) and risk having to compromise on some issues, they decided to go with his Freedom Party and its somewhat extremist views. Ahh, from one nasty coalition to another, dare I say it, nastier one.

Britain, take me back!