Geert Wilders
A Dutch firebrand whose fierce criticism of Islam and immigration has reshaped his country's politics and sparked global controversy.
Born 1963 (age 63)·Dutch politician·Birthday: September 6·Baby Boomers
Biography
Geert Wilders, with his trademark shock of platinum-blond hair, is a political phenomenon who forced the Netherlands into a sustained debate about national identity. Founding the Party for Freedom (PVV) in 2006, he built a platform almost exclusively on opposing immigration, particularly from Muslim-majority countries, and rejecting further European integration. His rhetoric, which includes calls to ban the Quran and halt mosque construction, has led to death threats and necessitated around-the-clock security for over two decades. Despite—or because of—the controversy, Wilders has steadily grown his party's influence, culminating in a seismic 2023 election victory that made the PVV the largest party in parliament and positioned him to potentially lead the government, a testament to his enduring impact on the Dutch political landscape.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Geert was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Geert Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Geert's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded and has led the Party for Freedom (PVV) since its creation in 2006.
- Led the PVV to a first-place finish in the 2023 Dutch general election, winning 37 seats in parliament.
- Has served as a member of the Dutch House of Representatives continuously since 1998, first for the VVD and then for his own party.
Did You Know?
He has lived under permanent police protection since 2004 due to assassination threats.
Wilders was tried and acquitted for inciting discrimination in 2011, a case he framed as an attack on free speech.
He lived in a secure government safe house for years, referring to it as 'the prison'.
“I don't hate Muslims, I hate Islam.”
