Who is Geert Wilders? Dutch anti-Islam politician and leader of Party of Freedom defeated in election
DUTCH anti-establishment politician Geert Wilders started his Party for Freedom by declaring independence from the "elite in Hague" - and is renowned for his divisive anti-Islam rhetoric
Wilders - who has branded Moroccans "scum" - was defeated in the elections but has remained defiant by pledging to win his country’s next general election.
Who is Geert Wilders?
Geert Wilders is the leader and founder of right-wing Dutch political party Party for Freedom.
The 53-year-old is from Venlo, in the southeast Netherlands and is married to Hungarian diplomat Krisztina Wilders.
He is Parliamentary Leader of his party in the House of Representatives and has been named Politician of the Year several times by radio station NOS-radio.
Wilders is known as Captain Peroxide and Mozart because of his flamboyant blonde hair - described by Radio Netherlands as "the most famous bleach-blond since Marilyn Monroe".
What does Geert Wilders believe in?
Wilders considers himself to be a right-wing liberal whose greatest political role model is former PM Margaret Thatcher.
He doesn't like the Dutch political system and thinks that there is a ruling elite of politicians who care about themselves and not their constituents.
He also advocates "Nexit" - the Netherlands (Holland) leaving the EU.
Wilders is very passionate about Israel, living there for two years when he was younger and visiting the country over 40 times.
He says that when he returned to Holland he had a "special feeling of solidarity" for the country.
What is the Party for Freedom?
The Dutch political party Partij Voor de Vrijheid (PVV), which translates as the Party for Freedom, are right wing and are the third-largest party in parliament with 24 seats.
The party are Euro-sceptic and have advocated for leaving the EU, with Wilders calling for "Nexit".
Their policies include withdrawing from the EU, going back to the guilder (old Dutch currency) instead of the euro, repealing anti-smoking laws in bars and limiting Cannabis shops by ensuring they are more than 1km away from schools.
Why did US Republican congressman Steve King show his support for Wilders and what was the reaction?
Senior Republican congressman Steve King sparked a social media backlash when he tweeted: "Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny.
"We can't restore our civilisation with someone else's babies".
King, the Republican representative of Iowa, is a strong advocate of stopping birthright citizenship.
All children born in the US get citizenship under the country's constitution.
His post about Wilders was retweeted by the former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke with the words: "Sanity reigns supreme".
Many were quick to denounce King, including former Democratic presidential wannabe Hillary Clinton's daughter Chelsea.
She tweeted: "Clearly the Congressman does not view all our children as, well, all our children.
"Particularly painful on Purim."
Why was Geert Wilders convicted of hate speech?
In March last year Wilders went on trial for "discrimination and hatred" against Moroccans living in Holland.
He had promised to reduce the number of Moroccans living in the country.
Wilders was convicted on December 9 2016 but no penalty was imposed.
How did Wilders do in the Dutch election?
Far-right politician Geert Wilders was defeated in the Dutch elections on March 15.
Dutch centre-right Prime Minister Mark Rutte scored a resounding victory offering huge relief to other governments across Europe facing a wave of nationalism.
Rutte declared it an "evening in which the Netherlands, after Brexit, after the American elections, said 'stop' to the wrong kind of populism."
In response Mr Wilders called his comments “very worrying, as if populists are semi-Nazis.”
He added: “Rutte has not seen the back of me.”
He remained defiant by pledging to win his country’s next general election in the face of claims his party are ‘Nazis’.
Wilders, the leader and founder of the Party for Freedom, tweeted: “We were the 3rd largest party of the Netherlands. Now we are the 2nd largest party. Next time we will be number 1!”
The firebrand also claims his party have defied the exit polls and experts to win 20 seats, as opposed to the predicted 19.
Up to 13 million people in the Netherlands voted in the election which was seen as a face-off between Wilders and Rutte.