João Varela

On March 6, 2002, Pim Fortuyn, as leader of Leefbaar Rotterdam, achieved a resounding victory in the municipal elections in the city on the Maas. Nationally, Fortuyn would instantly secure eighteen parliamentary seats; the political landscape had been permanently changed by him. March 6, 2002, concluded with a now-historic television debate between Pim Fortuyn and Ad Melkert, among others, moderated by Paul Witteman. What exactly happened behind the scenes surrounding the key players Fortuyn and Melkert? Confidants of the leading figures of that time tell their story. Moderator Paul Witteman also looks back on the debate.

What does Pim Fortuyn's legacy mean for the Netherlands today? How have his rise and his assassination changed the political and societal debate on migration? And what does that say about Dutch views on tolerance and diversity? In the eight-part KRO-NCRV documentary series Fortuyn: Un-Hollands, producer mint film office gives a voice to people who were barely heard at the time, but who were right at the center of the Fortuyn debate. Critics, political allies and opponents, men and women, with a bicultural background and white, tell how they experienced the Fortuyn revolt and what influence Pim Fortuyn had – and still has – on their lives and positions in the Netherlands.