Fortuyn versus Wilders versus Baudet: The Evolution of Populist Radical Right Party Organization in the Netherlands

Existing research has shown that there is considerable diversity when it comes to populist radical right party (PRRP) organization (Heinisch & Mazzoleni, 2016), but it is less clear why this is the case. In other words, why do some PRRP opt for organizational models that resemble the traditional mass party model, while others choose a more personalistic approach? The Netherlands provides an ideal laboratory environment to examine this question. Once known for its progressivism and social tolerance, the Netherlands long seemed “immune” to the far right. However, since the turn of the twenty-first century, the country has witnessed the rise of several successful PRRPs, including the Lijst Pim Fortuyn (List Pim Fortuyn or LPF), the Partij voor de Vrijheid (Party for Freedom or PVV) and, more recently, the Forum voor Democratie (Forum for Democracy or FvD). Despite obvious ideological similarities between these parties, there are noteworthy differences in terms of party organization. This paper seeks to highlight and explain specific decisions in party organization made by the LPF, the PVV and the FvD. By drawing on a range of different primary and secondary sources including party documents, media reports and existing scholarly sources, we argue that the organizational model of the FvD is a synthesis of its two predecessors, notably the LPF and the PVV. To avoid internal dissension that brought about the demise of the LPF, the FvD opted for a deeply hierarchical party model with authoritarian features, thereby adopting organizational elements of Wilders’s “personal party”. At the same time, the FvD drew lessons from the financial limitations of the PVV by creating a large membership base, which enabled the party to tap into considerable funding opportunities. The findings show evidence of institutional learning, thereby shedding light on the electoral persistence of PRRPs, notably their ability to withstand setbacks and adapt to new circumstances.