Fighting Fire with Fire? “Muslim” Political Parties in the Netherlands Countering Right-Wing Populism in the City of Rotterdam

Abstract This article explores the emergence of Muslim-majority political party DENK in Dutch politics by focusing on two encounters before the 2018 local elections in Rotterdam. It explains the circumstances of DENK’s rise and success and argues that social media plays a central role. By analysing social media data, the author demonstrates that the party counters right-wing populist discourse by making use of the local context and particular on- and offline strategies. In addition, the article shows that a novel development is taking place concerning Muslim political participation in the Netherlands, which is part of a broader trend in Western Europe.