Thierry Baudet, leader of the Dutch right-wing populist “Forum for Democracy” Party, was rushed to hospital on Monday after being attacked with a glass bottle in the city of Zwolle two days before the Dutch general elections.
Baudet, 40, was treated by a trauma surgeon following the attack, which saw someone hit him on the back of the head and next to the eye with a beer bottle. His security guard also sustained facial injuries in the incident.
A spokesman for the Dutch police, Thijs de Jong, told the press authorities had apprehended someone on suspicion of involvement in the attack on Monday evening. “What we can say at the moment is that Mr. Baudet was hit on the head, possibly with an object,” he explained, though refusing to provide any further information as to the potential motive of the attacker.
“It looks like everything will all be alright,” Forum for Democracy announced after the event.
Baudet’s party claims to be anti-mass immigration, proudly nationalist, as well as skeptical of the European Union. Forum for Democracy is projected to receive between four of five seats in the Dutch parliament in the election.
The attack follows a number of other violent assaults on populist politicians in Europe, including Alternative for Germany’s deputy leader being smeared with dog excrement and the party’s Augsburg chairman being hospitalized with two black eyes and a leg brace earlier this year.
