Dutch politician Wilhelmus Simon Petrus Fortuijn, known as Pim Fortuyn, was BOTD in 1948. Born in Driehuis to a middle-class family, he studied sociology at university, working as a lecturer in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. In the 1990s he became known as a public speaker, journalist and political commentator, with a charismatic and flamboyant style. Politically left-wing in his youth, he moved towards neo-liberalism, advocating free-market economics and privatisation of public services. He also called for a Cold War against Islam, opposing multiculturalism and immigration. When accused of racism, he replied, “I don’t hate Arab men. I even sleep with them.” He also had a Black butler named Herman, who drove Fortuyn and his two King Charles spaniels around town. In 2001, he was elected leader of the Livable Netherlands party. Removed as leader due to his statements about Islam and immigration, he later formed his own political party. The following year, achieved a major victory in Rotterdam’s municipal elections, making him a political celebrity. Openly gay, he held liberal views about women’s rights, same-sex marriage, drug policy and euthanasia. Nine days before the 2002 general election, he was assassinated by the left-wing activist Volkert van der Graff. He was 54. At his trial, van der Graff stated that he murdered Fortuyn to stop him from exploiting Muslims as scapegoats and targeting weaker members of society to win political power. A controversial figure even after his death, Fortuyn remains a hero for extreme right-wing and anti-immigration movements.