AMSTERDAM – Progressive liberal party D66 appears set to emerge as the largest force in the Netherlands’ parliamentary elections, overtaking Geert Wilders’ far-right Party for Freedom, according to the first exit polls released on Wednesday evening.
The poll, published by Nos shortly after polling stations closed, suggests that D66, led by former climate and economic affairs minister Rob Jetten, will secure 27 seats in the 150-member parliament, compared to its current nine seats.
Wilders’ PVV, which topped polls for much of the campaign, fell back from 37 to 25 seats. The result marks a sharp reversal for Wilders, whose staunchly anti-EU and pro-Trump rhetoric dominated headlines but failed to maintain the party’s momentum on election day.
In third place, the conservative-liberal VVD is projected to win 23 seats – one fewer than before – under Justice Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz. The party has been part of successive governments since 2010 with former Prime Minister Mark Rutte, now NATO Secretary General.
The VVD is expected to seek the formation of a centrist coalition to keep the populist right out of power. Such a coalition would likely involve D66, the Christian Democrats, and potentially the Green–Labour alliance (GroenLinks–PvdA).
The Green–Labour bloc, headed by former European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans, underperformed expectations, dropping from a projected 25 seats to 20.
In Leiden, the country’s oldest university town, D66 supporters celebrated with Dutch and EU flags, while in Rotterdam, the mood at the Green–Labour gathering was subdued.
(cs)
