Dutch Business Is Pushing Back Against Anti-Immigration Politics
Public opinion has turned against immigration in what was once Europe’s most open economy, and companies are starting to speak up
Geert Wilders on election night in The Hague, on Nov. 22. A late surge in the campaign catapulted his party past mainstream rivals.
Photographer: Peter Boer/BloombergUnilever is a storied name in Dutch business history, and it’s also a harbinger of what the future may hold for what was once continental Europe’s most open economy.
The consumer goods behemoth, which left its Dutch headquarters to consolidate in the UK four years ago, is considering listing its €17 billion ice cream business in Amsterdam or London. The decision depends on the Dutch business climate being attractive, Chief Executive Officer Hein Schumacher told the Buitenhof TV program on Sunday. But that is far from certain.