NIS News Bulletin THE HAGUE, Wednesday - MP Wilders is proposing that article 1 of the Constitution be scrapped. He wishes to replace it by a new article in which the Jewish-Christian and humanist tradition and culture is laid down as the dominant culture of the Netherlands.

Article 1 of the Constitution reads: "All persons in the Netherlands shall be treated equally in equal circumstances. Discrimination on the grounds of religion, belief, political opinion, race, or sex or on any other grounds whatsoever shall not be permitted".

Wilders states he is not in favour of discrimination but feels article 1 results in a curtailment of the freedom of expression. "Everyday practice reveals that equalitarian thinking makes it impossible to identify problems and if necessary, make a legitimate distinction".

The proposal to scrap article 1 was earlier proposed by assassinated politician Pim Fortuyn. Four years ago, he argued that the ban on discrimination should be lifted if it continues in practice to curtail freedom of expression. On the subject of radical Muslims, Fortuyn stated: "Let them call me a pig, as long as I may continue to brand them as backward".

Wilders said that with the presence of 1.6 million non-Western immigrants of whom one million are Muslims, "the identification and defence of our identity is a matter of the highest urgency". The politician believes that pure Islam is "intrinsically a-democratic".

Wilders yesterday presented the political programme of his Party for Freedom. He proposes closing the borders to non-Western immigrants for at least five years as well as banning the establishment of new Islamic schools and mosques, likewise for five years. Furthermore, he wants a preaching ban for foreign imams and a ban on preaching in a language other than Dutch.

In other areas, Wilders wishes to cut taxes, sharply cut back on government and officials, abolish the European Commission and European Parliament and introduce binding referenda on matters such as Turkey's EU accession. Concerning security, he wishes to introduce minimum penalties and to raise the maximum penalties.