Breakaway right-wingers in populist merger

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Two small rightwing populist parties have announced they are merging into a single new party whose name they have yet to settle on.

The party's leader will be Hero Brinkman, whose Indepedendent Citizen's Party will be joined by the Proud of the Netherlands (TON) party founded by Rita Verdonk. Until recently, he was a leading member of Geert Wilders´anti-Islam Freedom Party. Ms Verdonk set up TON in 2008, after breaking away from the pro-business VVD party. Currently Mr Brinkman is an independent MP, while Ms Verdonk´s TON party has no seat in parliament.

Mr Brinkman said the new name would not resemble either of the old ones. Ms Verdonk said the merger was “a unique opportunity for the party to get into parliament with a good number of seats.”

A general election is scheduled for September.

(cl/imm)