The Muslim community in the Netherlands is increasingly worried about the results of last Wednesday's elections, in which Geert Wilders' far-right Islamophobic Party for Freedom (PVV) emerged as the top party.
Speaking to Anadolu, Muhsin Koktas, head of the Contact Body for Muslims and Government, said the victory of Wilders, who argued that mosques, Islamic community schools, and the Quran don't belong to the Netherlands, is a source of deep anxiety.
"The election results are both frustrating and worrying for the future of the country's Muslims. If he finds the opportunity to fulfill the promises he made during the election campaign, Muslims can't live in the county," he said.
Stressing that Wilders' pledges are against the law, Koktas said that even if they cannot do everything they promised, Wilders and other far-right parties could do things that would make life harder for Muslims.
Tougher days lie ahead, he said, adding that they would continue to fight nonetheless.
Kenan Aslan, foreign policy chief of the Milli Görüş Organization of the Islamic Community in the South Holland Region, pointed to Wilders' decades of notorious anti-Islam rhetoric.
"His remarks, particularly against foreigners and Muslims, make us anxious. He may try to ban the Quran and close down mosques. As such, we expect rigid anti-Islam policies to be enforced," he said.
The head of the Turkish Federation of the Netherlands (HTF), Murat Gedik, also stressed that Wilders' victory helped encourage other far-right parties and organizations.
Pressure on the Turkish and Islamic communities will almost certainly rise, he argued.
