Suspected of working for Israel: Anti-Islam party senate candidate

PVV leader Geert Wilders has announced the names of his candidates for the Eerste Kamer (Senate). The list includes Gidi Markuszower, who was on the PVV list for the national elections in 2010, but was then removed after information from the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD), Volkskrant reports.

Five years ago the AIVD signaled the then Minister of Security and Justice, Ernst Hirsch Balin, that Markuszower could be a "risk of the integrity" of the Netherlands. Hirsch Balin informed Wilders of the situation in a letter. Markuszower allegedly had contact with "a foreign intelligence service" and transferred information to "a foreign power", supposedly Israel and the Mossad. He was also arrested in the past for illegal firearm possession. Makruszower then withdrew from the list "in the interest of the party". He called the allegations absurd.

Markuszower now once again takes his place on the list. As was previously announced, the PVV list for the Eerste Kamer is led by Marjolein Faber, who recently came under fire when it was revealed that she hired her son's company to work on the PVV website. Based on the results of last week's provincial elections, the PVV can look at 8 Eerste Kamer seats in May.