Fortuyn: Controversial, Flamboyant and Dead

L O N D O N, May 7, 2002 -- Blunt, outspoken and flamboyant, Pim Fortuyn was a politician with an approach very different to those previously used in Dutch politics.

But on Monday, the country's most controversial political figure was dead after being shot in the head six times by a lone gunman as he left an interview at a radio station outside Amsterdam.

Professor Pim, as he liked to be called, was openly homosexual, a dapper dresser, incredibly wealthy and an owner of two lap dogs — Kenneth and Carla. His Rotterdam mansion echoed his flamboyant lifestyle complete with marble floors, modern art, statues of naked men and butlers referring to him as their "master." His preferred method of transport was a chauffeur-driven Daimler.

The charismatic 54-year-old, a former Marxist sociology professor was, until February, leader of the Leefbaar Nederland (Livable Netherlands) party, who won an astonishing 35 percent of the vote in a recent local election in the city of Rotterdam.

But, he was forced to split from them following his call for the repeal of the first article of the Dutch constitution which forbids discrimination.

Shutting Out Immigrants

Although he is a relatively recent addition to the Dutch political arena, Fortuyn has sent shock waves through Holland with his aggressive anti-immigrant and anti-Islam platform — views that have found favor across the country.

Such controversy only enhanced Fortuyn's reputation. He went on to form his own party — the Pim Fortuyn List, which was expected to become the country's third largest party in the general election on May 15.

With his slogan, "Holland is Full," Fortuyn campaigned for an end to immigration, calling for all ethnic minorities already resident in Holland to integrate, suggesting that they be forced to learn Dutch.

He used his sexuality to attack Muslims. In a recent book called The Islamisation of Our Culture, he described Islam as a "backward culture," claiming that Muslim immigrants undermined Holland's permissive values particularly regarding same-sex marriages.

Denials of Racism

Despite his far-right ideology, Fortuyn protests that he is not a racist. "You have negroes who are Muslims, you have white men who are Muslims, you have yellow men who are Muslims so how can you connect the Muslim religion and culture with a race?" he told the BBC in a recent interview. His deputy leader is a black man of Cape Verde origin.

Fortuyn was, however, by no means typical of the increasingly powerful far-right political force in Europe.

He reacted with anger when asked in a recent interview whether his views were similar to those of the French National Front leader Jean-Marie Le Pen. There is certainly one similarity — Le Pen also has two dogs, Dobermans — called Gauloise and Gitane.

Fortuyn had recently expressed fears for his safety. A spokesman for Fortuyn admitted that he did receive regular death threats. In a recent rally, cakes soaked in urine were hurled at him.

His death has stunned the people of the Netherlands, with crowds of mourners gathering across the country to mark their respect. The Dutch parliament will meet today to discuss the option of delaying the forthcoming election.

Police are questioning a 33-year-old Dutch man, who was arrested shortly after the attack.