Robots and immigrants are the enemies in Dutch home of populism

Rotterdam

FROM the towering offices of Rotterdam's port authority, you can watch the never-ending stream of barges begin their river journeys to the Rhine and points across Europe, carrying anything from Chinese microwave ovens to iron ore from Brazil.

The city that spreads below boasts Europe's biggest port which is dependent on the globalised economy for its success and 130,000 jobs.

And yet, this North Sea gateway to the world is also the birthplace of the anti-globalisation, anti-immigrant and anti-Islam movement that is on course to place first in Dutch elections on March 15.

The appeal of its current leader Geert Wilders seems a …