As we reported yesterday, Geert Wilders’ party, the PVV (Party for Freedom), continues to surge in Dutch polls. The most famous Dutch politician of the 21st century — and perhaps even in history — is breaking record after record. If the latest polls are to believed, his party would win 10 more seats in parliament than the second largest party, the VVD (which is currently part of a government coalition with the social democrats of the PvdA).

Wilders owes his current success to several factors. First and foremost among them: the refugee crisis. Dutch voters have had enough of the tsunami of self-declared “refugees” (who all too often turn out to be nothing but gold diggers) flooding Europe, and the Netherlands specifically. They demand a halt to unlimited immigration today. The parties forming the government coalition, however, don’t feel any urge to intervene. They’re doing whatever Brussels wants — and Brussels (read: the European Union) demands an open-borders policy. So that’s what the European elite get from the weaklings supposedly in charge of the Netherlands.

Wilders disagrees rather vehemently with that policy and has never made a secret of his wish to severely limit immigration — a change that should have been implemented years ago because Dutch society (the Netherlands has a population of 17 million!) just can’t deal with the tens of thousands of newcomers arriving every single year. Although a sizable part of the Dutch electorate may not support Wilders in every possible way, they do understand that he is the only one who’s actually willing and able to stop this insanity.

Another reason why the PVV is surging is the European Union. Dutch voters are fed up with the Big Brother-esque, elitist snobs in charge of the Grand European Project. They demand their sovereignty back. That’s why, earlier this year, they voted against a treaty between Europe and Ukraine, the most corrupt country in Europe. Trading is all fun and games, but we don’t need an “association treaty” for it, Dutch voters argued. Besides, they rightfully believed, such a treaty would open the door to a future EU membership for that country. Since Ukraine is highly corrupt and poor, the Dutch people are having none of it. After all, we all know what happens when such a country joins the EU: Dutch taxpayers’ money will be automatically transferred to Kiev, where the Ukrainian leaders will use those precious euros to enrich themselves.

Although the results of the referendum were clear, the Dutch government is preparing to sign the treaty nonetheless. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that this will anger the Dutch people even more, resulting in them flocking to the PVV in numbers even Wilders didn’t think possible a few months ago.

Lastly, there is Wilders’ prosecution. In a sensible, free society, politicians can say whatever they want, especially when their statements are about public policy. Not so in the Netherlands, where the fascist, politically correct movement has been in charge of years. The result: Wilders was put on trial for saying he’d make sure that the Netherlands will have “fewer Moroccans” if he wins the elections. The multicultural-worshipping judges in his case found Wilders guilty of “incitement to discrimination.”

Wilders himself and Dutch voters at large find that conviction (rightfully) to be ludicrous. First of all, Moroccans aren’t a race. And secondly, anybody — but especially a representative of the people — should have the right to say what Wilders said. It’s called freedom of speech — deal with it!

The trial and conviction have made Wilders more popular than ever. Even those who in the past didn’t even contemplate voting for the Party for Freedom are inclined to do so now, just to show their support for freedom of speech and for Wilders personally. If Wilders backs down, he would undoubtedly lose some of these supporters. He, however, has not. And he’s right not to do so. The trial was reminiscent of the show trials in the Soviet Union when old Joe Stalin was still in power — it was a political trial from day one.

Speaking to PJ Media, Wilders explains that he too understands that the trial is actually helping him electorally. “The people are with me in growing numbers and I am very humbled and grateful for that,” he says.

Next, he demonstrates why Dutch voters are flocking to him in such large numbers: the man doesn’t back down and is courageous despite very serious death threats.

No freedom is more important than freedom of speech. That is why I will never give it up. I will not be silent, no matter how hard either terrorists, the political elite or judges try to silence me. They will have to kill me first if they want to silence me. Freedom will prevail.

Wilders sometimes expresses himself rather bluntly, but we have reached the boiling point in the Netherlands. Voters want a truth-teller, someone who speaks up and who points out (inconvenient) problems — even if the political establishment isn’t happy with it. Better yet: especially if it angers the establishment.

The PVV leader is one of the few Dutch politicians with the courage to do so — which is not only why he’s rising quickly in the polls, but also why I believe he and his Party for Freedom will pull off an upset by winning the elections for parliament, which will be held in March 2017.

If that upsets the establishment, so be it. Dutch voters have been angered and disappointed by them for years. Now it’s their turn.