A victory for freedom of speech? Or evidence of a country turning its back on a tradition of tolerance? The acquittal of Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders on hate speech charges has sparked debate in the Netherlands and around the world.

So who’s saying what? Reactions collected by Radio Netherlands Worldwide.

Germany
Amsterdam's courtroom conflict over the "polder populist" was bizarre from the start, according to Germany's Tagesspiegel. At issue was where an MP's freedom of expression ends, and where insulting begins. But, said the German paper, it was as if Dutch democracy itself was on trial.

France
Describing Geert Wilders as a "teflon man", France's Le Matin led with the headline: "Unfortunately, Geert Wilders can only win". Like other papers, Le Matin didn't bother with the subtle political classifications within the Dutch political landscape, simply calling Mr Wilders "the leader of the Netherlands' extreme right", a qualification repeatedly and emphatically rejected by the man himself.

Australia
The West Australian spares a thought for those who brought the case and lost. "Minorities groups said they would now take the case to the United Nations Human Rights Committee, arguing the ruling meant the Netherlands had failed to protect ethnic minorities from discrimination."

Canada
The Globe and Mail does not mince words: "A Dutch court was right to acquit the demagogic politician Geert Wilders of hate-speech charges," reminding its readers that after all, "a religion is - among other things - a set of opinions. Freedom of speech and thought require that those opinions should be subject to criticism and debate."

But the writer is critical of Mr Wilders' opinions: "The electors (...) should turn Mr Wilders' Freedom Party into a tiny fringe. That is the proper remedy for his odious demagoguery."

Latin America
Most media in Latin America devote a brief paragraph to the verdict. The general view can be summarised as "Islamophobic Wilders allowed to say what he wants in political debate". News sites and papers point out that the Freedom Party leader compared Islam to Nazism, and the Qur'an to Hitler's Mein Kampf, explaining that the judge does not exactly approve of this, but cannot consider such statements punishable offences. Some papers also mention that Mr Wilders has been under 24-hour police protection for a number of years because of threats against his life.

Middle East
Media in the Arab world limit themselves to short news items about the acquittal. The many revolutions in the Arab countries have drawn attention away from the Wilders trial. Al Jazeera presented a number of Mr Wilders' statements, among which his call to ban the Qur'an and the comparison to Hitler's book are prominent.

(rk/ae)