This article addresses contemporary nativism in the Netherlands, precisely because it has been considered an unlikely place for the rise of such exclusionary politics given its reputation for progressiveness and tolerance. We dissect nativism into three different but interrelated subtypes characterized by different primary targets: religious nativism (Muslims), racial nativism (non-whites), and populist nativism (elites). We claim that nativism has been normalized, a process visible in formal politics and shifts in public discourse, including among the left. We also argue that progressive values have been appropriated by right-wing nativism in service of its exclusionary, essentializing politics. If it can happen in the Netherlands, it can happen anywhere.
Kešić et al. (2026) studied this question.