Wilders stood trial on Monday accused of inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims in media comments and for insulting Muslims by comparing the Islamic faith to Nazism.
“I have said what I have said and I will not take one word back,” Wilders said at the start of the hearing as he told the court he would invoke his right to remain silent.
That stance prompted the presiding judge to say that Wilders had been accused by others of avoiding debate and that it appeared he was doing the same again today.
Wilders’s lawyer objected to the judge’s comments, saying they could be construed as bias, leading to a separate hearing where the concerns could be heard and decided on by new judges.
“I find it ... inappropriate, improper and even scandalous that the chairman of the court interprets this and commentates on it,” Wilders said at the separate hearing.
“The appearance of bias ... has been invoked. A fair process is no longer possible.”
The judges then adjourned the separate hearing and the trial itself and will hand down a decision on Tuesday afternoon on the issue of the judges’s impartiality.
If the court rules in favor of the defense’s objections, new judges will need to be imposed, delaying the trial.
The trial comes at an awkward time for Wilders, whose party is poised to gain a powerful role in the running of the country through its support of a minority government made up of the Liberals (VVD) and Christian Democrat (CDA) parties.
A CDA congress voted in favor of entering into a minority government with support from the Freedom Party on Saturday, but remains split over the prospect of relying on Wilders’ support. A final decision on the matter will be made on Tuesday.
Following elections in June, the VVD and CDA hold between them just 52 seats in the 150-seat parliament. With support from Wilders they can get to a bare-minimum majority of 76 seats.
“He divides, he creates hate, he creates conflicts between people. Some people can’t accept this. Other people can accept this,” said Mohammed Rabbae of the National Council for Moroccans.
