Editing Pim Fortuyn

{{Short description|Dutch politician (1948–2002)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Pim Fortuyn
| image         = Pim Fortuyn - May 4.jpg
| caption       = Fortuyn on 4 May 2002, two days before his assassination
| birth_name    = Wilhelmus Simon Petrus Fortuijn
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1948|02|19|df=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Velsen]], Netherlands
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|2002|05|06|1948|02|19|df=y}}
| death_place   = [[Hilversum]], Netherlands
| death_cause   = [[Assassination of Pim Fortuyn|Assassination]] (gunshot wounds)
| resting_place = [[San Giorgio della Richinvelda]], Italy
| other_names   = Pim Fortuijn
| alma_mater    = [[VU Amsterdam]] ([[Bachelor of Social Science]], [[Master of Social Science]]) <br /> [[University of Groningen]] (PhD)
| occupation    = Politician · civil servant · [[Sociology|Sociologist]] <br /> [[Board of directors|Corporate director]] · [[Political consulting|Political consultant]] · [[Pundit|Political pundit]] · Author · Columnist · Publisher · Teacher · professor
| party         = [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] (1974–1989) <br /> [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] (mid 1990s) <br /> [[Livable Netherlands]] (2001–2002) <br /> [[Livable Rotterdam]] (2001–2002) <br /> [[Pim Fortuyn List]] (2002)
| signature     = Handtekening Pim Fortuyn.png
| module            = {{Infobox officeholder|embed=yes
| office              = [[Government of Rotterdam|Municipal Councilor in Rotterdam]]
| term_start          = March 6th 2002 
| term_end            = May 6th 2002
| predecessor         = 
| successor           =  Dries Mosch
}}
}}

'''Wilhelmus Simon Petrus Fortuijn''', known as '''Pim Fortuyn''' ({{IPA|nl|ˈpɪɱ fɔrˈtœyn|lang|Pim Fortuyn.ogg}}; 19 February 1948 – 6 May 2002), was a [[Dutch people|Dutch]] politician, author, civil servant, businessman, sociologist and academic who founded the party [[Pim Fortuyn List]] (Lijst Pim Fortuyn or LPF) in 2002.<ref name="Margry">Margry, Peter Jan: ''The Murder of Pim Fortuyn and C's ollective Emotions. Hype, Hysteria, and Holiness in the Netherlands?'' published in the Dutch magazine ''Etnofoor: Antropologisch tijdschrift'' nr. 16 pages 106–131, 2003,[http://www.meertens.knaw.nl/meertensnet/file/edwinb/20050420/PF_webp_Engels_lang.pdf English version available online] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329052521/http://www.meertens.knaw.nl/meertensnet/file/edwinb/20050420/PF_webp_Engels_lang.pdf |date=29 March 2017 }}</ref>

Fortuyn worked as a professor at the [[Erasmus University of Rotterdam]] before branching into a business career and was an advisor to the Dutch government on social infrastructure. He then became prominent in the Netherlands as a press columnist, writer and media commentator.

Initially a [[Marxist]] who was sympathetic to the [[Communist Party of the Netherlands]], and later a member of the Dutch [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] in the 1970s, Fortuyn's beliefs began to shift to the right in the 1990s, especially related to the immigration policies of the Netherlands. Fortuyn criticised [[Multiculturalism in the Netherlands|multiculturalism]], [[immigration to the Netherlands|immigration]] and [[Islam in the Netherlands]]. He called Islam "a backward culture", and was quoted as saying that if it were legally possible, he would close the borders for Muslim immigrants.<ref name="controversy">{{cite web |url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws/denhaag/1013147690985.html |title=''Volkskrant'' newspaper interview (summary) |access-date=12 February 2002 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020212063049/http://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws/denhaag/1013147690985.html |archive-date=12 February 2002 |language=nl}}</ref> Fortuyn also supported tougher measures against crime and opposed state [[bureaucracy]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/may/07/qanda.thefarright|last=Oliver|first=Mark|title=The shooting of Pym Fortuyn|newspaper=The Guardian|date=7 May 2002|access-date=27 May 2019|archive-date=26 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526202317/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/may/07/qanda.thefarright|url-status=live}}</ref> wanting to reduce the Dutch financial contribution to the [[European Union]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/14/andrewosborn.theobserver|last=Osborn|first=Andrew|title=Dutch fall for gay Mr Right|date=14 April 2002|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London|access-date=5 June 2019|archive-date=26 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526202312/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/14/andrewosborn.theobserver|url-status=live}}</ref> He was labelled a [[Far right|far-right]] [[populism|populist]] by his opponents and in the media, but he fiercely rejected this label.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/1966979.stm|title=Cf. this BBC interview|date=4 May 2002|access-date=21 July 2007|archive-date=20 October 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021020203934/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/1966979.stm }}</ref> Fortuyn was [[Coming out|openly]] [[Homosexuality|gay]] and a supporter of gay rights.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/may/15/thefarright.gayrights|last=Goldstein|first=Richard|title=Queering the pitch|newspaper=The Guardian|date=15 May 2002|location=London|access-date=5 June 2019|archive-date=26 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526202316/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/may/15/thefarright.gayrights|url-status=live}}</ref>

Fortuyn explicitly distanced himself from "far-right" politicians such as the Belgian [[Filip Dewinter]], Austrian [[Jörg Haider]], or Frenchman [[Jean-Marie Le Pen]] whenever compared to them. While he compared his own politics to centre-right politicians such as [[Silvio Berlusconi]] of Italy and [[Edmund Stoiber]] of Germany, he also admired former Dutch Prime Minister [[Joop den Uyl]], a social democrat, and Democratic U.S. president [[John F. Kennedy]]. Fortuyn also criticised the [[polder model]] and the policies of the outgoing government of [[Wim Kok]] and repeatedly described himself and [[Pim Fortuyn List|LPF]]'s ideology as [[pragmatism|pragmatic]] and not [[populism|populistic]]. He also became known for his unconventional and flamboyant way of debating which was considered unique in Dutch politics at the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODW8uQTbhGw|title=Interview with Belgium news agency|website=[[YouTube]]|date=24 October 2008 |access-date=27 February 2021|archive-date=8 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708162030/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODW8uQTbhGw|url-status=live}}</ref> In March 2002, his newly created LPF became the largest party in Fortuyn's hometown [[Rotterdam]] during the Dutch municipal elections held that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/may/07/thefarright.uk1|last=The Guardian|title=Dutch election to go ahead|website=[[TheGuardian.com]]|date=7 May 2002|location=London|access-date=5 June 2019|archive-date=26 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526202313/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/may/07/thefarright.uk1|url-status=live}}</ref>

Fortuyn was [[Assassination of Pim Fortuyn|assassinated]] during the [[2002 Dutch general election|2002 Dutch national election campaign]]<ref>{{cite news|last=Simons|first=Marlise|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/07/international/europe/07DUTC.html|title=Rightist Candidate in Netherlands Is Slain, and the Nation Is Stunned|date=7 May 2002|access-date=5 May 2012|archive-date=2 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102220244/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/07/international/europe/07DUTC.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=James|first=Barry|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/07/news/07iht-dutch_ed3_.html|title=Assailant shoots gay who railed against Muslim immigrants: Rightist in Dutch election is murdered|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=7 May 2002|access-date=5 May 2012|archive-date=10 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140410195631/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/07/news/07iht-dutch_ed3_.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Simons|first=Marlise|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/08/world/elections-to-proceed-in-the-netherlands-despite-killing.html|title=Elections to Proceed in the Netherlands, Despite Killing|work=The New York Times|date=8 May 2002|access-date=13 June 2010|archive-date=27 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027220257/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/08/world/elections-to-proceed-in-the-netherlands-despite-killing.html|url-status=live}}</ref> by [[Volkert van der Graaf]], a left-wing environmentalist and [[animal rights]] activist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/world/killer-tells-court-fortuyn-was-dangerous-20030329-gdgigf.html|last=The Daily Telegraph|title=Killer tells court Fortuyn was dangerous|date=29 March 2003|access-date=5 June 2019|archive-date=26 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526202328/https://www.smh.com.au/world/killer-tells-court-fortuyn-was-dangerous-20030329-gdgigf.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In court at his trial, van der Graaf said he murdered Fortuyn to stop him from exploiting Muslims as "scapegoats" and targeting "the weak members of society" in seeking political power.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/netherlands/1425944/Fortuyn-killed-to-protect-Muslims.html Fortuyn killed 'to protect Muslims'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428020432/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/netherlands/1425944/Fortuyn-killed-to-protect-Muslims.html |date=28 April 2018 }}, [[The Daily Telegraph]], 28 March 2003:
:[van der Graaf] said his goal was to stop Mr. Fortuyn exploiting Muslims as "scapegoats" and targeting "the weak parts of society to score points" to try to gain political power.</ref><ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/03/27/netherlands.fortuyn.trial/ Fortuyn killer 'acted for Muslims'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210081312/http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/03/27/netherlands.fortuyn.trial/ |date=10 December 2008 }}, [[CNN]], 27 March 2003:
:Van der Graaf, 33, said during his first court appearance in Amsterdam on Thursday that Fortuyn was using "the weakest parts of society to score points" and gain political power.</ref> The LPF went on to poll in second place during the election but went into decline soon after before it was ultimately disbanded at a national level in 2008. Despite this, Fortuyn's ideas and legacy continued to have an impact upon Dutch politics. Observers have described his ideological influence as ''[[Fortuynism]]'' or the ''Fortuyn revolt.''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newcriminologist.com/article.asp?nid=870 |title=Jihad Vegan |access-date=6 December 2008 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721174143/http://www.newcriminologist.com/article.asp?nid=870 |archive-date=21 July 2011 }}, Dr Janet Parker 20 June 2005, New Criminologist.</ref> 

==Biography==

=== Early life and education ===
Wilhelmus Simon Petrus Fortuijn was born on 19 February 1948 in [[Driehuis]] within the Dutch municipality of [[Velsen]], as the third child to a middle class Catholic family. His father was a sales representative for a envelopes and paper company and was involved in local Catholic associations while his mother was a housewife. Fortuyn was raised primarily by his mother as his father was often away for his work.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.katholieknieuwsblad.nl/actueel19/kn1920a.htm |title=Pim Fortuyn: 'Ondanks alles ben ik katholiek' |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080521062046/http://www.katholieknieuwsblad.nl/actueel19/kn1920a.htm |access-date=2025-04-20|archive-date=21 May 2008 }}</ref> He first attended a Catholic primary school, where Fortuyn later described his time as "terrible," before graduating from the Mendelcollege secondary school in [[Haarlem]] where he was described as an academically gifted pupil.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/fortuyn-voelde-goed-aan-waar-politieke-reuring-was~bba5de3b/? |title=Fortuyn voelde goed aan waar politieke reuring was |access-date=2025-04-20}}</ref> 

As a youth, Fortuyn initially wanted to train as a priest, but in 1967 he began to study sociology at the [[University of Amsterdam]] and also attended lectures in history, economics and law. He then transferred after a few months to the [[Vrije Universiteit]] in Amsterdam where he continued his degree in sociology and took joint honours classes in public administration.  In 1971 he ended his study with the [[Academic degree]] [[Doctorandus]]. In 1981 he received a doctorate in sociology at the [[University of Groningen]] as a Doctor of Philosophy.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/nederland/artikel/asp/artnr/122072/index.html |title=Pim Fortuyn - Oprecht en onmogelijk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603075405/http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/nederland/artikel/asp/artnr/122072/index.html |access-date=2025-04-20|archive-date=3 June 2008 }}</ref> 

=== Career ===

==== Professional career ====
[[File:Pim Fortuyn, Jan Willem de Pous, Willem Dercksen en Teun Jaspers (1982).jpg|thumb|Pim Fortuyn with [[Jan Willem de Pous]] at a presentation of ''Thirty-Five Years of SER recommendations'' (1982)]]
Fortuyn worked as a lecturer at the [[Nyenrode Business Universiteit]] and as an associate professor at the [[University of Groningen]], where he taught [[Marxist]] sociology. He was also an employee of the Groningen University Newspaper for which he wrote columns. He was a Marxist at the time and sympathized with the [[Communist Party of the Netherlands]] (CPN), although he never became a full member.<ref>[http://www.nu.nl/boek/2783454/cpn-weigerde-fortuyn-lidmaatschap.html "CPN weigerde Fortuyn lidmaatschap"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116083200/https://www.nu.nl/boek/2783454/cpn-weigerde-fortuyn-lidmaatschap.html |date=16 January 2021 }}, nu.nl, 10 april 2012</ref> Later, he joined the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]]. In 1989 Fortuyn became director of a [[Politics of the Netherlands|government]] organisation administering student transport cards and worked as a research assistant and advisor to the [[Social and Economic Council]] (SER). In 1990 he moved to [[Rotterdam]]. From 1991 to 1995, he was an extraordinary professor at the [[Erasmus University Rotterdam]], appointed to the Albeda-chair in "employment conditions in public service" and ran an education consultancy business.

When his teaching contract in Rotterdam ended, Fortuyn made a career of public speaking, writing books and press columns, and worked as a weekly columnist for ''[[Elsevier (magazine)|Elsevier]].'' He gradually involved himself in politics through regularly appearing on televised debate shows and became a familiar public figure for his charismatic and flamboyant speaking style. In 1994 he began hosting his own radio program on ''[[RTV Rijnmond]]'' and often appeared on the political debate show ''[[Buitenhof (TV series)|Buitenhof]]'' and later as a commentator on the business current affairs program ''Business Class'' on [[RTL Nederland]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=79990&page=1|title = Fortuyn: Controversial, Flamboyant and Dead|website = [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080605013208/http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/nederland/artikel/asp/artnr/122074/index.html "Pim Fortuyn – Oprecht en onmogelijk"], ''Elsevier'', 13 juli 2002, vervolgpagina (via ''Internet Archive'')</ref> Fortuyn was openly gay, and said in a 2002 interview that he was Catholic.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.katholieknieuwsblad.nl/actueel19/kn1920a.htm|first=Mark | last=Eyck|title=Interview: Pim Fortuyn|work=[[Katholiek Nieuwsblad]] (Catholic Newspaper)|date=15 February 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020306021624/http://www.katholieknieuwsblad.nl/actueel19/kn1920a.htm|archive-date=6 March 2002|url-status=dead}} <br />" Question: U beschouwt zichzelf nog wel als katholiek? Answer: Ja, daar ontkom je niet aan. [..] Question: Toch noemt u zich ondanks uw homoseksualiteit nog steeds katholiek. Answer: Ik bén katholiek! Ik ben nota bene gedoopt! Ik noem me niet zo, ik ben het!" (''Question: Do you still consider yourself a Catholic?  Answer: Yes, you can't escape from that. [..] Question: But in spite of your homosexuality you still call yourself a Catholic. Answer: I ''am'' a Catholic. I have, after all, been baptised!  I don't call myself one, I am one!'')</ref>

==== Political career ====
[[File:Pim Fortuyn 1991.jpg|thumb|left|Pim Fortuyn in 1991]]
Fortuyn began his political career on the left and was initially a Marxist due to an aversion to the Dutch political establishment which he described as dominated by [[pillarization]] and a "[[Regenten|regent]] mentality." He was sympathetic to the Dutch Communist Party but chose not to become a member due to personal disagreements with the party leadership and self-identified as a Marxist without becoming active in any communist organisations. In the 1970s he joined the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] and became a [[social democrat]]. In 1986, his views shifted towards [[neoliberalism]] in the hope that the [[free market]] would lead to further individual emancipation, ending a perceived oppression by state [[bureaucracy]]. In 1991, he proposed firing half of all civil servants and promoted [[privatisation]] and [[decentralisation]].<ref>Oudenampsen (2018), p. 150</ref> In 1992, Fortuyn wrote ''Aan het volk van Nederland'' ("To the people of the Netherlands"), in which he declared himself to be the spiritual successor of the charismatic but controversial 18th-century Dutch [[Patriottentijd|patriot]] politician [[Joan Derk van der Capellen tot den Pol]]. The book urges the already culturally emancipated citizen to use the free market to also liberate himself economically, from the [[welfare state]].<ref>Oudenampsen (2018), p. 200</ref> In 1989, Fortuyn left the Labour Party and during the 1990s became a member of the centre-right [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]] and was briefly a political consultant to the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] in the early 2000s.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/1966979.stm|title=At home with 'Professor Pim'|date=4 May 2002}}</ref>

Though on economic matters Fortuyn would largely remain a neoliberal,<ref>Oudenampsen (2018), p. 154</ref> culturally he soon became strongly influenced by the [[neoconservatism|neoconservative]] political philosopher and chief editor of the weekly ''Elsevier'' [[Hendrik Jan Schoo]] who made him a columnist in 1993.<ref>Oudenampsen (2018), p. 164</ref> Schoo deplored that a progressive [[new class]] would have promoted multiculturalism, founding an anti-racist [[civil religion]] on article 1 of the Dutch constitution, forbidding discrimination.<ref>Oudenampsen (2018), p. 180-182</ref> Whereas in the early 1990s Fortuyn had held liberal views on immigration, this changed under the influence of Schoo.<ref>Oudenampsen (2018), p. 183</ref>

Dutch neocons understood that in the evermore [[secularisation|secularising]] Netherlands a change on the lines of the [[Reagan Revolution]] had become highly improbable. Women's rights, gay rights, abortion and euthanasia had been generally accepted. In his 1995 book ''De verweesde samenleving'' ("The orphaned society"), Fortuyn claimed that the progressive movement of the 1960s had eroded traditional norms and values. Both the roles of the "symbolic father" and the "caring mother" had been lost, leaving an orphaned population without guidance, to live out a meaningless decadent existence.<ref>Oudenampsen (2018), p. 217</ref> However, Fortuyn did not propose a return to old socially conservative or Dutch Calvinist and iconoclastic values and argued that the media, schools and artists should provide a moral leadership, explicitly promoting and defending the new values of modern Western society, constantly recreating the Dutch identity.<ref>Oudenampsen (2018), p. 218</ref> Fortuyn consistently retained a liberal stance on matters such as LGBT rights throughout his political career.

Adopting the philosophical analysis by [[Carl Schmitt]], it was assumed that such an identity could only be defined in [[antithesis]] to some actually existing concrete enemy. Inspired by [[Samuel P. Huntington|Samuel Huntington]]'s ''[[The Clash of Civilizations]]'', Dutch ethnicity was to be re-invented by identifying that enemy as Islam.<ref>Oudenampsen (2018), p. 219</ref> In his 1997 book ''Tegen de islamisering van onze cultuur'' ("Against the islamisation of our culture"), Fortuyn proposed that after the [[fall of communism]] a new adversary would be found in Muslim culture.<ref>Oudenampsen (2018), p. 220</ref> Fortuyn explained the global fundamentalist wave of the 1990s as a backlash against the insecurities caused by [[globalisation]]. The Dutch should counter [[Islamic fundamentalism]] by promoting and defending their own ''fundament'', Dutch culture, especially [[modernism]] and the [[Age of Enlightenment|Enlightenment]] values.<ref>Oudenampsen (2018), p. 221</ref> These should not yet be imposed on the Dutch population as a whole, with the exception of immigrants.<ref>Oudenampsen (2018), p. 222</ref> Whereas American neoconservatives promoted [[hard power]] policies in relation to the Muslim world, Dutch neocons favoured a [[soft power]] approach.<ref>Oudenampsen (2018), p. 214-215</ref> Shortly before the [[September 11 attacks]], Fortuyn called for a [[Cold War]] against Islam, meaning a non-military defensive enmity.<ref>Oudenampsen (2018), p. 215</ref> The attacks and the [[War on Terror]] made Islam a main issue in Dutch politics for the first time.

Fortuyn announced his intention to run for parliament in a television interview with ''[[EenVandaag]]'' in 2001, although he did not specify which party he would seek to stand as a candidate with. Although he was already in contact with the newly formed [[Livable Netherlands]] (LN) party, he also considered running for the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] which he had worked as a consultant for, or even creating his own [[Electoral list|list]]. Livable Netherlands founder [[Jan Nagel]] subsequently invited him to run as party leader and Fortuyn was elected "[[lijsttrekker]]"  ([[lead candidate]]) by a large majority of party members at the LN conference on 26 November 2001, prior to the [[2002 Dutch general election|Dutch general election of 2002]]. In his leadership bid and general election campaign, Fortuyn attacked the mainstream parties on multiculturalism, immigration and law & order. He also called for less government interference and for a reform of the Dutch public health and education systems. Fortuyn concluded his speech by stating "at your service" in English which he later adopted as his campaign slogan during the general election.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/may/07/guardianobituaries.thefarright|title=Pim Fortuyn – obituary|work=The Guardian|date=7 May 2002|access-date=19 August 2019|first=Lang|last=Kirsty|archive-date=19 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819184342/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/may/07/guardianobituaries.thefarright|url-status=live}}</ref> He concluded his acceptance speech by saying the words in English that would become his slogan; "At your service!"<ref name=rvh45>{{harvnb|Rydgren|van Holsteyn|2005|p=45}}</ref> Support for LN rose dramatically during Fortuyn's brief leadership, climbing from 2% in opinion polls to about 17%.<ref name=m211>{{harvnb|Mudde|2007|p=211}}</ref>

On 9 February 2002, Fortuyn gave an interview to ''[[Volkskrant]]'', a Dutch newspaper (see below) regarding his beliefs on immigration and Islam. His statements were considered so controversial that the LN summoned him to an emergency meeting and then dismissed him as ''lijsttrekker'' the next day after Fortuyn refused to retract his statements. Against the advice of his campaign team, Fortuyn said in the interview that he favoured closing borders to Muslim immigrants and if possible he would abolish the "peculiar article" of the Dutch constitution forbidding discrimination (at the time it was generally assumed that he referred to Article 1, the [[equality before the law]]; it has been argued, however, that Fortuyn and the interviewer had confused this with Article 137 of the Penal Code, incitement to hatred).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.volkskrant.nl/gs-b4919d81|title=Strafbare belediging|first=Marjolijn|last=Februari|date=16 February 2002|website=de Volkskrant}}</ref>

===== Founding the LPF =====
Having been rejected by Livable Netherlands, Fortuyn founded his own party [[Pim Fortuyn List]] (LPF) on 14 February 2002,<ref name=":4">Hippe, J., Voerman, G., & Lucardie, A. (2004). Kroniek 2002: overzicht van partijpolitieke gebeurtenissen van het jaar 2002. In G. Voerman (editor), Jaarboek Documentatiecentrum Nederlandse Politieke Partijen 2002 (blz. 104). (Jaarboek Documentatiecentrum Nederlandse Politieke Partijen). Documentatiecentrum Nederlandse Politieke Partijen "Op 14 februari richtten zij de Politieke Vereniging ‘Lijst Pim Fortuyn’ (LPF) op."</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-02-15 |title=Leidsch Dagblad {{!}} 15 februari 2002 {{!}} pagina 4 |url=https://leiden.courant.nu/issue/LD/2002-02-15/edition/0/page/4?query= |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=Historische Kranten, Erfgoed Leiden en Omstreken |language=nl |quote=Pim Fortuyn doet mee aan de verkiezingen voor de tweede kamer onder de naam Lijst Pim Fortuyn. Hij heeft zijn partij gisteren ingeschreven bij de Kamer van Koophandel in Rotterdam}}</ref> taking many former LN members and supporters with him. Heading the list of the [[Livable Rotterdam]] party, considered to be the local counterpart of the LPF, he achieved a major victory in the [[Rotterdam]] municipal council elections in early March 2002 where Fortuyn was elected to Rotterdam's municipal council. The new party won about 36% of the seats, making it the largest party in the council. For the first time since the [[Second World War]], the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] was out of power in [[Rotterdam]].

Fortuyn's victory made him the subject of hundreds of interviews during the next three months, and he made many [[News release|statements]] about his [[political ideology]]. In March he released his book ''The Mess of Eight Purple Years'' (''[[De puinhopen van acht jaar Paars]]''), which criticised the current political system in the Netherlands and was used as his [[political agenda]] for the upcoming [[2002 Dutch general election|general election]]. Purple is the colour to indicate a coalition government consisting of left parties (red) and conservative-liberal parties (blue). The Netherlands had been governed by such a coalition for eight years at that time.

On 14 March 2002, Fortuyn was [[pieing|pied]] by a left-wing activist from the [[Biotic Baking Brigade]] in The Hague. As a result, Fortuyn began to express a fear of being injured or assassinated and accused members of the Dutch political establishment of encouraging violence against him.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.expatica.com/nl/news/country-news/Fortuyn-smeared-with-cake_125856.html |title=The Complete Expat Guide to the Netherlands &#124; Expatica |access-date=9 June 2018 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142637/https://www.expatica.com/nl/news/country-news/Fortuyn-smeared-with-cake_125856.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Death ==
[[File:Palazzo di Pietro Rotterdam.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Fortuyn's house in [[Rotterdam]] where he lived from 1998 until his death]]
{{main|Assassination of Pim Fortuyn}}
On 6 May 2002, at age 54, Fortuyn was [[Assassination of Pim Fortuyn|assassinated]] by gunshot in [[Hilversum]], [[North Holland]], by [[Volkert van der Graaf]]. The attack took place in a car park outside a radio studio where Fortuyn had just given an interview. This was nine days before the [[2002 Dutch general election|general election]], in which he was running. The attacker was pursued by [[Hans Smolders]], Fortuyn's driver, and was arrested by the police shortly afterward, still in possession of a handgun.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/dutch-farright-leader-shot-dead-650464.html|title=Dutch far-right leader shot dead|work=The Independent|date=7 May 2002|access-date=13 June 2010|location=London|first=Isobel|last=Conway|archive-date=7 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100507004105/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/dutch-farright-leader-shot-dead-650464.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Months later, Van der Graaf confessed in court to the first notable political assassination in the Netherlands since 1672 (excluding [[World War II]]).<ref>{{cite book|last=van Sas|first=N.C.F.|year=2005|title=De metamorfose van Nederland:van oude orde naar moderniteit 1750–1900|page=373|publisher=Amsterdam University Press |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Sy7AdDUBesC&pg=PA373|isbn=90-5356-840-9|access-date=15 October 2016|archive-date=18 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818163122/https://books.google.com/books?id=0Sy7AdDUBesC&pg=PA373|url-status=live}}</ref> On 15 April 2003, he was convicted of assassinating Fortuyn and sentenced to 18 years in prison.<ref name="sentencing">{{cite news|last1=Osborn|first1=Andrew|title='Light' sentence enrages Fortuyn's followers|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/apr/16/andrewosborn|access-date=6 May 2016|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=16 April 2003|archive-date=4 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604014042/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/apr/16/andrewosborn|url-status=live}}</ref> He was released on parole in May 2014 after serving two-thirds of his sentence, the standard procedure under the Dutch penal system.<ref name="parole">{{cite news|title=Pim Fortuyn: Politician's Killer Is Freed Early|url=http://news.sky.com/story/1253915/pim-fortuyn-politicians-killer-is-freed-early|access-date=6 May 2016|publisher=[[Sky News]]|date=2 May 2014|archive-date=11 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611001259/http://news.sky.com/story/1253915/pim-fortuyn-politicians-killer-is-freed-early|url-status=live}}</ref>

The assassination shocked many residents of the Netherlands and highlighted the cultural clashes within the country. Various conspiracy theories arose after Pim Fortuyn's murder and deeply affected Dutch politics and society.<ref>* Jelle van Buuren: ''Holland's Own Kennedy Affair. Conspiracy Theories on the Murder of Pim Fortuyn''. = ''[[Historical Social Research]]'', Vol. 38, 1 (2013), pp. 257–85.</ref> Politicians from all parties suspended campaigning. After consultation with LPF, the government decided not to postpone the elections. As Dutch law did not permit modifying the ballots, Fortuyn became a posthumous candidate. The [[Pim Fortuyn List|LPF]] made an unprecedented debut in the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]] by winning 26 seats (17% of the 150 seats in the house). The LPF joined a cabinet with the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] and the [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]], but conflicts in the rudderless LPF quickly collapsed the cabinet, forcing new elections. By the following year, the party had lost support, winning only eight seats in the [[2003 Dutch general election|2003 elections]]. It won no seats in the [[2006 Dutch general election|2006 elections]], by which time the [[Party for Freedom]], led by [[Geert Wilders]], had emerged as a successor.

During the last months of his life, Fortuyn had become closer to the Catholic Church. To the surprise of many commentators and Dutch TV hosts, Fortuyn insisted on Fr. Louis Berger, a [[curate|parish priest]] from [[The Hague]], accompanying him in some of his last TV appearances. According to ''[[The New York Times]]'', Berger had become his "friend and [[sacrament of penance|confessor]]" during the last weeks of his life.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/07/world/rightist-candidate-in-netherlands-is-slain-and-the-nation-is-stunned.html|title=Rightist politician is slain and the Nation is stunned|last=Simons|first=Marlise|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=7 May 2002|access-date=19 February 2017|archive-date=28 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228101612/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/07/world/rightist-candidate-in-netherlands-is-slain-and-the-nation-is-stunned.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Burial ===
Fortuyn was initially buried in [[Driehuis]] in the Netherlands. He was re-interred on 20 July 2002, at [[San Giorgio della Richinvelda]], in the [[province of Pordenone]] in Italy, where he had owned a house.

==Views==
{{Conservatism in Europe|politicians}}
===Islam and immigration===
When asked about his opposition to Muslim immigration, Fortuyn explained that, "I have no desire to go through the emancipation of women and homosexuals all over again."<ref name=BedellBookReview>{{cite news|last1=Bedell|first1=Geraldine|title=To face the facts beyond the veil|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2006/oct/29/biography.islam|access-date=27 January 2016|newspaper=The Guardian|date=28 October 2006|archive-date=3 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203035025/http://www.theguardian.com/books/2006/oct/29/biography.islam|url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2001, Fortuyn was quoted in the ''Rotterdams Dagblad'' newspaper saying, "I am also in favour of a [[Cold War|cold war]] with Islam. I see Islam as an extraordinary threat, as a hostile religion."<ref>{{in lang|nl}} Original quote in {{langx|nl|Ik ben ook voor een koude oorlog met de islam. De islam zie ik als een buitengewone bedreiging, als een ons vijandige samenleving.}} (''"I also favor a cold war against Islam. I see Islam as being an exceptional threat, as a society hostile to ours".'')</ref> In the TV program ''Business Class'', Fortuyn said that Muslims in the Netherlands did not accept Dutch society; he believed that the religion of Islam was fundamentally intolerant and incompatible with Western values.<ref name="douglasmurray">{{cite book|last1=Murray|first1=Douglas|title=The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam|date=2017|publisher=Bloomsbury|location=London|isbn=978-1472942241|edition=Kindle}}</ref> He said that Muslims in the Netherlands needed to accept living ''together'' with the Dutch, and that if this was unacceptable for them, then they were free to leave. His concluding words in the TV program were "...&nbsp;I want to live together with the Muslim people, but [[wikt:it takes two to tango|it takes two to tango]]." Fortuyn also maintained that he did not object to Muslim immigrants because of their race or ethnicity, and was not against a multi-racial society, but opposed what he saw as lack of integration and unwillingness to adapt to Dutch standards of modernity and [[social liberalism]] within Muslim communities.<ref name="auto"/> 
  
[[File:Rotterdam kunstwerk beeld Pim Fortuyn.jpg|thumb|right|220px|After his death a statue was placed at his home in [[Rotterdam]]. The statue has since been removed from the property and auctioned off]]

On 9 February 2002, additional statements made by him were carried in an interview with ''[[Volkskrant]]'' during his leadership of the [[Livable Netherlands]] party. Fortuyn argued that Islamic culture would deem him "less than a pig" for being a Christian and a homosexual.<ref name=controversy/> He said that the Netherlands, with a population of 16 million, had enough inhabitants, and the practice of allowing as many as 40,000 asylum-seekers into the country each year had to be stopped. The actual number for 2001 was 27,000, down slightly on the previous year. Fortuyn also argued that he would not allow any more Muslim immigrants into the Netherlands if it were legally possible.<ref>[http://www.cbs.nl/en-GB/menu/themas/bevolking/publicaties/artikelen/archief/2002/2002-1019-wm.htm Asylum Immigration Statistics] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023061927/http://www.cbs.nl/en-GB/menu/themas/bevolking/publicaties/artikelen/archief/2002/2002-1019-wm.htm |date=23 October 2007 }} and [http://statline.cbs.nl/StatWeb/table.asp?LYR=G1:0&LA=en&DM=SLEN&PA=03740eng&D1=a&D2=a,!1-39&D3=4,9,14,19,24,29,(l-8)-l&STB=G2&HDR=T Asylum Requests Statistics] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911000740/http://statline.cbs.nl/StatWeb/table.asp?LYR=G1:0&LA=en&DM=SLEN&PA=03740eng&D1=a&D2=a,!1-39&D3=4,9,14,19,24,29,(l-8)-l&STB=G2&HDR=T |date=11 September 2007 }}, Netherlands Bureau of Statistics Retrieved 21 July 2007</ref> He claimed that if he became part of the next government, he would pursue a restrictive immigration policy while also granting citizenship to a large group of illegal immigrants, saying that he did not intend to "unload our Moroccan hooligans" onto the Moroccan [[Hassan II of Morocco|King Hassan]].<ref name=dl120510/><ref>{{cite news|language=nl|date=2 February 2002|access-date=21 July 2007|url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/den_haag/article153195.ece/De_islam_is_een_achterlijke_cultuur|title=Volkskrant interview|archive-date=8 July 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070708042525/http://www.volkskrant.nl/den_haag/article153195.ece/De_islam_is_een_achterlijke_cultuur|url-status=dead}}</ref> Hassan had died three years earlier.<ref>[[Hassan II of Morocco]]</ref> He considered Article 7 of the constitution, which asserts [[freedom of speech]], of more importance than Article 1, which forbids discrimination on the basis of religion, life principles, political inclination, race, or sexual preference. Fortuyn also distanced himself from [[Hans Janmaat]] of the [[Centre Democrats (Netherlands)|Centrum Democraten]], who in the 1980s wanted to remove all foreigners from the country and was repeatedly convicted for discrimination and [[hate speech]].

Fortuyn proposed that all people who already resided in the Netherlands would be allowed to stay, provided the immigrants adopted the Dutch society's consensus on human rights as their own.<ref name=dl120510>{{cite news|url=http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2012/05/10_years_after_pim_fortuyn_was_1.php|title=10 years after Pim Fortuyn was murdered: what the papers say|date=10 May 2012|newspaper=Dutch News|archive-date=9 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509000309/http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2012/05/10_years_after_pim_fortuyn_was_1.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> He stated: "not integrating means leaving" and "the borders have to be hermetically closed".<ref>Oudenampsen (2018), p. 188</ref> He said "If it were legally possible, I'd say no more Muslims will get in here", claiming that the influx of Muslims would threaten freedoms in the liberal Dutch society. He thought Muslim culture had never undergone a process of modernisation and therefore still lacked acceptance of democracy and women's, gays', lesbians' and minorities' rights. 

When asked by the Dutch newspaper ''[[Volkskrant]]'' whether he hated Islam, he replied:

<blockquote>I don't hate Islam. I consider it a backward culture. I have travelled much in the world. And wherever Islam rules, it's just terrible. All the hypocrisy. It's a bit like those old [[Dutch Reformed Church|Reformed Protestants]]. The Reformed lie all the time. And why is that? Because they have standards and values that are so high that you can't humanly maintain them. You also see that in that Muslim culture. Then look at the Netherlands. In what country could an electoral leader of such a large movement as mine be openly homosexual? How wonderful that that's possible. That's something that one can be proud of. And I'd like to keep it that way, thank you very much.{{efn|Original quote in Dutch: "Ik haat de islam niet. Ik vind het een achterlijke cultuur. Ik heb veel gereisd in de wereld. En overal waar de islam de baas is, is het gewoon verschrikkelijk. Al die dubbelzinnigheid. Het heeft wel iets weg van die oude gereformeerden. Gereformeerden liegen altijd. En hoe komt dat? Omdat ze een normen- en waardenstelsel hebben dat zo hoog ligt dat je dat menselijkerwijs niet kunt handhaven. Dat zie je in die moslimcultuur ook. Kijk dan naar Nederland. In welk land zou een lijsttrekker van een zo grote beweging als de mijne, openlijk homoseksueel kunnen zijn? Wat fantastisch dat dat kan. Daar mag je trots op zijn. En dat wil ik graag effe zo houden".}}</blockquote>

Fortuyn used the word ''achterlijk'', literally meaning "backward", but commonly used as an insult in the sense of "[[Retard (pejorative)|retarded]]". After his use of "achterlijk" caused an uproar, Fortuyn said he had used the word with its literal meaning of "backward".<ref name="douglasmurray" />

Fortuyn wrote  ''Against the Islamization of Our Culture'' (1997) (in [[Dutch language|Dutch]]).<ref>''[https://www.amazon.com/dp/9022983382 Tegen de islamisering van onze cultuur: Nederlandse identiteit als fundament]'', A.W. Bruna, 1997, {{ISBN|90-229-8338-2}}</ref>

During its brief time in government, Fortuyn's party the LPF attempted to introduce a proposal to grant a general pardon to asylum seekers who had been in the Netherlands for more than five years combined with a temporary stop and restrictions on further immigration.<ref name=dl120510/>

===Fortuynism===
{{Main|Fortuynism}}
The ideology or political style that is derived from Pim Fortuyn, and in turn the LPF, is often called [[Fortuynism]]. Observers variously saw him as a political protest targeting the alleged [[elitism]] and bureaucratic style of the Dutch [[Purple (government)#The Netherlands and Belgium|purple coalitions]] or as offering an appealing political style. The style was characterized variously as one "of openness, directness and clearness", [[populism]] or simply as charisma. Another school holds Fortuynism as a distinct ideology, with an alternative vision of society. Some argued that Fortuynism was not just ''one'' ideology, but contained liberalism, populism and [[nationalism]].<ref name=m213214>{{harvnb|Mudde|2007|pp=213–214}}</ref>

[[File:Pim Fortuynplaats 2015.jpg|thumb|''Pim Fortuynplaats'' square in Rotterdam which was named after Fortuyn]]

During the 2002 campaign, Fortuyn was accused by some of being on the "extreme right", although others saw only certain similarities.<ref>{{harvnb|Rydgren|van Holsteyn|2005|pp=48–49}}</ref> While he employed anti-immigration rhetoric, he considered himself neither a radical [[nationalism|nationalist]] nor a defender of traditional authoritarian values. Fortuyn stated that he did not view himself as a far-right politician, nor as a libertarian populist, and disputed these labels when they were employed by the press to describe him. On the contrary, Fortuyn claimed he wanted to protect the socio-culturally liberal values of the Netherlands, women's rights and sexual minorities (he was openly gay himself), from the "backward" Islamic culture.<ref name=rvh49>{{harvnb|Rydgren|van Holsteyn|2005|p=49}}</ref> He held liberal views favouring the [[drug policy of the Netherlands]], [[Same-sex marriage in the Netherlands|same-sex marriage]], [[Euthanasia in the Netherlands|euthanasia]], and related positions. Fortuyn was also a member of the [[Republican Society]], and favoured a US-style system with an elected president, elected mayors and police commissioners. He also expressed support for the state of [[Israel]] throughout his political career.

The LPF also won support from some ethnic minorities; one of Fortuyn's closest associates was of Cape Verdean origin, and one of the party's MPs was a young woman of Turkish descent.

His ideology comprised the following positions:<ref name="Andeweg, R p.49">[[Rudy Andeweg|Andeweg, R.]] and G. Irwin ''Politics and Governance in the Netherlands'', Basingstoke (Palgrave) p.49</ref>
{{Div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Civil liberties]]
* [[Classical liberalism]]
* [[Criticism of Islam]]
* [[Deregulation]]
* [[Direct democracy]]
* [[Euroscepticism]]
* [[Freedom of speech]]
* [[Laissez-faire]]
* [[LGBT rights by country or territory|LGBT rights]]
* [[Republicanism]]
* [[Secularism]]
* [[Separation of church and state]]
* [[Small government]]
* [[Women's rights]]
{{Div col end}}

==Criticism==
[[File:RotterdamGWBurgerPlein060502.png|thumb|Anti-Fortuyn poster of the [[International Socialists (Netherlands)|International Socialists]] with the slogan "Stop de Hollandse Haider" (English: "Stop the Dutch [[Jörg Haider|Haider]]") near Fortuyn's house in Rotterdam on 6 May 2002]]
Fortuyn was compared with the politicians [[Jörg Haider]] and [[Jean-Marie Le Pen]] in the foreign press. These comparisons were often referred to by Dutch reporters and politicians. An explicit comparison with Le Pen was made by [[Ad Melkert]], then ''[[lijsttrekker]]'' of the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]], who said in [[Emmen, Netherlands|Emmen]] on 24 April 2002: "If you flirt with Fortuyn, then in the Netherlands the same thing will happen as happened in France. There they woke up with Le Pen, soon we will wake up with Fortuyn."<ref>{{in lang|nl}}: "Als je flirt met Fortuyn, dan gebeurt er in Nederland straks hetzelfde als in Frankrijk. Daar zijn ze wakker geworden met Le Pen, straks worden wij wakker met Fortuyn." quote from article in [[Het Financieele Dagblad]], 25 April 2002.</ref>

On 5 May, the day before the assassination, Fortuyn in a debate with Melkert organized by the ''[[Algemeen Dagblad]]'' newspaper claimed that he was [[demonization|demonized]]. In it he said that he often had to tell journalists that the image created of him in the media was incorrect.<ref>{{in lang|nl}} {{YouTube|kCupE2LlFoo|"Het laatste debat"}} Nova, 18 juni 2002</ref>

Columnist [[Jan Blokker]] wrote that "[a]fter reading [...] I realized once again that Professor Pim may really be called the Jean-Marie Le Pen, the Filip Dewinter, the Jörg Haider and the new [[Hans Janmaat]] of the Netherlands."<ref>{{in lang|nl}}: "Na lezing (...) was ik er eens te meer van overtuigd dat Professor Pim wel degelijk de Jean-Marie Le Pen, de Filip Dewinter], de Jörg Haider en de nieuwe Hans Janmaat van Nederland mag heten.", de Volkskrant, 25 March 2002</ref> Prime Minister [[Wim Kok]] accused Fortuyn of stirring up fear and stimulating xenophobia among the Dutch people.<ref name="documentary"/> In the run-up to the 2002 election, [[GroenLinks]] leader [[Paul Rosenmöller]] claimed Fortuyn's policies were "not just [[Right-wing politics|right]] but [[extreme right]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2844/Archief/archief/article/detail/754743/2003/10/24/Iets-te-aardig.dhtml|title=Iets te aardig|work=[[De Volkskrant]]|access-date=20 February 2020|date=24 October 2003|author=Hans Wansink|language=nl|archive-date=23 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923070954/http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2844/Archief/archief/article/detail/754743/2003/10/24/Iets-te-aardig.dhtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

Fortuyn often responded to criticism by maintaining that his views were misunderstood or distorted by the media, and in turn rejected comparisons and expressed personal distaste for radical far-right politicians in other European countries. He explicitly distanced himself from Jean-Marie Le Pen and criticised some of his policies, including Le Pen's downplaying of the Holocaust. During an interview with [[BBC news]] journalist [[Kirsty Lang]], Fortuyn stated that his opposition to Muslim immigration was mistakenly demonized as racism by journalists and his opponents, and instead argued that it was based on his desire to preserve Dutch tolerance towards sexual minorities and women and to prevent cultural clashes within Western society.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/1966979.stm|title= At home with 'Professor Pim'|last= Lang|first= Kirsty|date= 4 May 2002|website= BBC News|publisher= BBC|access-date= 20 February 2020|archive-date= 23 September 2007|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070923022602/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/1966979.stm|url-status= live}}</ref> In domestic politics, Fortuyn also distanced his views from hard-right Dutch politicians such as [[Hans Janmaat]] and [[Joop Glimmerveen]] (who called for the mass expulsion of foreigners from the Netherlands) by maintaining that if he came to power, he would pardon existing illegal immigrants if they had lived in the Netherlands for over five years and offer them a path to citizenship if they could be assimilated into society.

In an interview on the Dutch talk show ''Jensen!'' that was broadcast shortly before his death, Fortuyn accused members of the Dutch government and political establishment of putting his life in danger through repeatedly demonizing him and his beliefs.<ref>{{YouTube|id=B4Sl4CvmjfE|title=Pim Fortuyn: "If Something Were to Happen..."}}</ref>  

==Legacy==
[[File:Beeld Pim Fortuyn Rotterdam.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Pim Fortuyn monument in [[Rotterdam]]]]
Fortuyn changed the Dutch political landscape.<ref>See [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1974184.stm BBC impression] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823202724/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1974184.stm |date=23 August 2007 }} for an early evaluation Retrieved July 2007.</ref> The 2002 elections, only weeks after Fortuyn's death, were marked by large losses for the liberal [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] and especially the [[social democracy|social democratic]] [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] (whose parliamentary group was halved in size); both parties replaced their leaders shortly after their losses. The election winners were the [[Pim Fortuyn List]], and the [[Christian democracy|Christian democratic]] [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] (CDA) whose leader [[Jan Peter Balkenende]] went on to become prime minister. Some commentators in the mainstream political class speculated that Fortuyn's perceived martyrdom created greater support for the LPF, hence that party's brief surge to 17% of the electoral vote and 26 of the 150 seats in the Dutch Parliament. Others opined that voters who would have otherwise supported the LPF had Fortuyn not been murdered voted for the CDA as Balkenende had not joined in with other party leaders in attacking Fortuyn. Balkenende later claimed to have shared some of Fortuyn's opinions and pledged to implement some of his policy ideas. Although the LPF was able to form a coalition with the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] and the [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]], it was bereft with internal strife and quickly lost steam. The [[coalition government|coalition]] cabinet of [[Jan Peter Balkenende]] fell within three months, due to infighting within the LPF. In the following elections, the LPF was left with only eight seats in parliament (out of 150) and was not included in the new government. Many of the LPF's successive leaders were not regarded as charismatic as Fortuyn and as the next cabinet under Balkenende continued many of the former coalition's policies, it became harder for the LPF to present an alternative image to the government. However, political commentators speculated that discontented voters might vote for a non-traditional party, if a viable alternative was at hand. Later, the right-wing [[Party for Freedom]] led by [[Geert Wilders]], which has a strong stance on immigration and cultural integration, proposing to deport criminal, unemployed or not assimilated non-western immigrants, won nine (out of 150) seats in the 2006 elections and became the largest party in the [[2023 Dutch general election|2023 elections]], reaching 37 seats.

[[File:Grave of Pim Fortuyn.jpg|thumb|The temporary grave of Pim Fortuyn in Driehuis]]

The Netherlands has made its asylum policy more strict. Opponents of [[Fortuynism]], such as [[Paul Rosenmöller]], [[Thom de Graaf]], and [[Ad Melkert]] (all labelling Fortuyn as a right-wing extremist),<ref name="documentary">[Documentary] "A Democracy in Shock" (2002). RTL Nieuws.</ref> have objected to what they think is a harsher political and social climate, especially towards immigrants and Muslims.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2680881.stm|last=Coughlan|first=Geraldine|title=Fortuyn ghost stalks Dutch politics|work=[[BBC News]]|date=21 January 2003|access-date=19 July 2005|archive-date=26 May 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060526022641/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2680881.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

However, other commentators such as [[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]], [[David Starkey]] and [[Douglas Murray (author)|Douglas Murray]] have retrospectively defended some of Fortuyn's beliefs.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hirsi Ali |first=Ayaan |author-link=Ayaan Hirsi Ali |date=2006 |title=Infidel: My Life}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/1393583/Is-there-a-Prof-Pim-in-Britain.html|title=Is there a Prof Pim in Britain?|work=The Telegraph|date=8 May 2002 |access-date=8 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Murray |first=Douglas |author-link=Douglas Murray (author) |date=2017 |title=The Strange Death of Europe}}</ref> Former Dutch Prime Minister [[Jan Peter Balkenende]] also stated that he later agreed with some of Fortuyn's criticisms of multiculturalism and the purple coalition under [[Wim Kok]].<ref name=rvh46>{{harvnb|Rydgren|van Holsteyn|2005|p=46}}</ref><ref name=sheg>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QJ6x8zmRAaEC&pg=PA166|first1=Steven|last1=Van Hecke|first2=Emmanuel|last2=Gerard|title=Christian democratic parties in Europe since the end of the Cold War|year=2004|publisher=Leuven University Press|isbn=978-90-5867-377-0|page=166|access-date=10 February 2020|archive-date=19 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819202025/https://books.google.com/books?id=QJ6x8zmRAaEC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA166|url-status=live}}</ref>

Contemporary Dutch politics is more polarized than it has been in recent years, especially on the issues for which Fortuyn was best known. People debate the success of their [[multiculturalism|multicultural society]], and whether they need to better [[Assimilation (sociology)|assimilate]] newcomers. The government's decision in 2004 to more strictly expel asylum seekers whose applications had failed was controversial. Fortuyn had advocated for a one-time amnesty for those asylum seekers who had resided in the Netherlands for an extended period.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3494627.stm|title=Dutch MPs approve asylum exodus|work=BBC News|date=17 February 2004|access-date=26 July 2005|archive-date=21 November 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051121163053/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3494627.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2004, in a TV show, Fortuyn was chosen as [[De Grootste Nederlander]] ("Greatest Dutchman of all-time"), followed closely by [[William the Silent|William of Orange]], the leader of the independence war that established the precursor to the present-day Netherlands.<ref>{{cite news|language=nl|url=http://www.planet.nl/planet/show/id=106882/contentid=525037/sc=5ce917|title=Greatest Dutchman|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050310014512/http://www.planet.nl/planet/show/id%3D106882/contentid%3D525037/sc%3D5ce917|archive-date=10 March 2005}}</ref> The election was not considered representative, as it was held by viewers' voting through the internet and by phoning in. [[Theo van Gogh (film director)|Theo van Gogh]] had been murdered a few days before by a Muslim, which likely affected people's voting in the TV contest for Fortuyn. The program later revealed that William of Orange had received the most votes, but many could not be counted until after the official closing time of the television show (and the proclamation of the winner), due to technical problems. The official rules of the show said that votes counted before the end of the show would be decisive, but it was suggested that all votes correctly cast before the closing of the vote would be counted. Following the official rules, the outcome was not changed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nu.nl/algemeen/443284/pim-fortuyn-toch-niet-de-grootste-nederlander.html|title=nu.nl/algemeen &#124; 'Pim Fortuyn toch niet de Grootste Nederlander'|date=16 November 2004|publisher=Nu.nl|access-date=13 June 2010|archive-date=10 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100610210756/http://www.nu.nl/algemeen/443284/pim-fortuyn-toch-niet-de-grootste-nederlander.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Plek moord Pim Fortuyn.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Car park in [[Hilversum]] where Fortuyn was assassinated]]
[[File:Monument Pim Fortuyn.jpg|thumb|Plaque at the location of his murder]]

[[Right-wing politics|Right-wing politicians]] gained greater public influence after Fortuyn's death, such as former [[Ministry of Justice (Netherlands)|Minister for Integration & Immigration]] [[Rita Verdonk]], the prominent [[Criticism of Islam|critic of Islam]], [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|Member of the House of Representatives]] [[Geert Wilders]] who in 2006 formed the [[Party for Freedom]] (which became the largest party in the House of Representatives in [[2023 Dutch general election|2023]]). These politicians often focus on the debate over [[cultural assimilation]] and [[Integration law for new immigrants to the Netherlands|integration]].

[[File:Pim Fortuynzaal 2e kamer.jpg|thumb|Meeting room named after Fortuyn in the House of Representatives]]
Between 2003 and 2004, Fortuyn's family donated the condolence letters, cards, objects and register books that were placed at various locations associated with Fortuyn such as his home, Rotterdam city hall, the [[Homomonument]] in Amsterdam, [[Media Park (Hilversum)|Media Park]] in Hilversum and the House of Representatives to the [[Meertens Institute]]. They are currently housed in the Institute's archive and can be consulted for research.<ref>{{cite book |last=Jan Margry |first=Peter |date=2011 |title='Memorializing a Controversial Politician. The 'Heritagization' of a Materialized Vox Populi', in: Grassroots Memorials. The Politics of memorializing Traumatic Death}}</ref>

Supporters of Fortuyn went on to set up the annual ''[[Pim Fortuyn Prize]]'' which is awarded to opinion makers, politicians or commentators who best convey the ideas of Pim Fortuyn. Winners have included [[Ebru Umar]], [[John van den Heuvel]] and Belgian Prime Minister [[Bart De Wever]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/ebru-umar-krijgt-de-pim-fortuyn-prijs~b853b348/|title=Ebru Umar receives the Pim Fortuyn Prize|date=6 May 2017|publisher=de Volkskrant|access-date=8 February 2020|archive-date=6 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806160815/https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/ebru-umar-krijgt-de-pim-fortuyn-prijs~b853b348/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2012, exactly ten years after Fortuyn's murder, a section of the Korte Hoogstraat (city centre) of Rotterdam was renamed ''Pim Fortuynplaats.'' Around a thousand people attended the ceremony.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/370299-rotterdam-heeft-pim-fortuynplaats |title=Rotterdam heeft Pim Fortuynplaats |date=6 May 2012 |access-date=2025-04-20}}</ref> 

In 2023, a meeting room was named after Fortuyn in the temporary House of Representatives which contains a memorial window.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.staten-generaal.nl/begrip/statenpassage_en_logement |title=Statenpassage en Logement |access-date=2025-04-20}}</ref>

To mark the 22nd anniversary of his death in May 2024, a [[crowdfunding campaign]] was started with the approval of Fortuyn's family with the aim of having a number of Fortuyn's books narrated with an AI -generated voice of Fortuyn.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.spreekbuis.nl/pim-fortuyn-komt-tot-leven-dankzij-ai/ |title=Pim Fortuyn komt tot leven dankzij AI |date=6 May 2024 |access-date=2025-04-20}}</ref>

==Selected publications==
* ''Het zakenkabinet Fortuyn'' (A.W. Bruna, 1994)
* ''Beklemmend Nederland'' (A.W. Bruna, 1995), ({{ISBN|90-229-8234-3}})
* ''Uw baan staat op de tocht!: Het einde van de overlegeconomie'' (A.W. Bruna, 1995) ({{ISBN|978-90-229-8264-8}}
* ''Mijn collega komt zo bij u'' (A.W. Bruna, 1996), ({{ISBN|9789022983119}})
* ''Tegen de islamisering van onze cultuur: Nederlandse identiteit als fundament'' (A.W. Bruna, 1997), ({{ISBN|90-229-8338-2}})
* ''Zielloos Europa'' (Bruna, 1997), ({{ISBN|90-229-8352-8}})
* ''50 jaar Israel, hoe lang nog?: Tegen het tolereren van fundamentalisme'' (Bruna, 1998), ({{ISBN|90-229-8407-9}})
* ''De derde revolutie'' (bruna, 1999)
* ''De verweesde samenleving'' (Karakter Uitgevers, 2002) ({{ISBN|90-6112-931-1}})
* ''[[De puinhopen van acht jaar Paars]]'' (Karakter Uitgevers, 2002), ({{ISBN|90-6112-911-7}})

==In popular culture==
{{Portal|Netherlands|Politics|LGBTQ|Biography}}
* The song "Feint" by [[Epica (band)|Epica]] was made right after and about Pim Fortuyn's death.
* Fortuyn's death is referenced in the novel ''De zesde mei'' (The Sixth of May) by [[Tomas Ross (writer)|Tomas Ross]].
* ''[[06/05]]'', a 2004 film directed by [[Theo van Gogh (film director)|Theo Van Gogh]] based upon the murder of Pim Fortuyn albeit with fictitious elements.
* ''Het jaar van Fortuyn'' (The Year of Fortuyn), a 2022 five-part biographical drama broadcast on [[AVROTROS]] which depicts Fortuyn's political rise ahead of the 2002 election to his assassination. Fortuyn is portrayed by [[Jeroen Spitzenberger]] in the series.

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
* {{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jXR5GzqvmyYC&pg=PA209 |pages=209–222 |chapter=A Fortuynist Foreign Policy |editor-first=Christina Schori |editor-last=Liang |first=Cas |last=Mudde |title=Europe for the Europeans: the foreign and security policy of the populist radical right |year=2007 |publisher=Ashgate |isbn=978-0-7546-4851-2}}
*Merijn Oudenampsen, 2018, ''De Conservatieve Revolte — Een Ideeëngeschiedenis van de Fortuynopstand'', Uitgeverij Vantilt, Nijmegen
* {{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JqAfBHrVUGEC&pg=PA41 |pages=41–64 |chapter=Holland and Pim Fortuyn: A Deviant Case or the Beginning of Something New? |editor-first=Jens |editor-last=Rydgren |first1=Jens |last1=Rydgren |first2=Joop |last2=van Holsteyn |title=Movements of exclusion: radical right-wing populism in the Western world |year=2005 |publisher=Nova |isbn=978-1-59454-096-7}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikiquote}}
*{{official website|http://www.pimfortuyn.com}}
*{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.parlement.com/id/vg9fgoprv9x0/w_s_p_pim_fortuijn Dr. W.S.P. (Pim) Fortuijn] Parlement & Politiek
*{{IMDb name|id=1989556|name=Pim Fortuyn}}

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{{s-ttl|title=[[Livable Netherlands|Leader of Livable Netherlands]]|years=2001–2002}}
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{{s-ttl|title=[[Pim Fortuyn List#Party leaders|Leader of the Pim Fortuyn List]]|years=2002}}
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{{s-ttl|title=[[Pim Fortuyn List#Party leaders|Chairman of the Pim Fortuyn List]]|years=2002}}
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{{Portal bar|Netherlands|Catholic Church|Politics|Conservatism|2000s|Islam}}
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