Pim Fortuyn, the murder that violated Dutch democracy
The awkwardness of welcoming a political murderer back into society
The months before the Dutch elections in 2002 were dominated by a single man: Pim Fortuyn.
After a major regional victory, this newcomer was slated to claim a significant number of seats in the national parliament. Some polls even suggested he had a realistic shot at becoming prime minister.
It was not to be. Just nine days before the elections, Fortuyn was shot in cold blood by an environmental activist and died on the spot.
The murderer, Volkert van der Graaf, spent only 12 years in prison and has been back in society since 2014.
With the national trauma still relatively fresh, Van der Graaf receives a government allowance, fights legal battles with the state and media, and has had several run-ins with both the public and media.
Although I was too young at the time to vote, I first became politically aware in 2002. As such, I have consciously lived through these historical events and seen live coverage.
I hope to shed some light on a political murder that might not be so well-known abroad (anymore) and provide a Dutch perspective on the rather bizarre situation of having a provocative murderer walking around.
