SPIEGEL: The Netherlands is the world’s second-largest exporter of agricultural products. The EU is your country’s most important market. What would be the benefit of leaving the bloc?

Wilders: We’d finally get our national sovereignty back, as well as our autonomy in matters of monetary and immigration policy — just like Switzerland. That’s my favorite example: a country in the heart of Europe, that even has individual trade agreements with China and Japan. The British too — Germany’s third-largest trading partner — will reach an agreement with the EU.

SPIEGEL: Switzerland differs from the Netherlands in that it is a major financial hub first and foremost. And Switzerland, much like the non-EU country Norway, must allow for the free movement of workers in order to be able to trade freely with the EU.

Wilders: Look at why the British wanted this exit! Politicians like Prime Minister David Cameron have lost all sense of reality. The people have seen how billions were spent on Greece and Turkey, on deals with Erdogan or for asylum seekers.