Sharp Right: Far-Right Party Wins Dutch Elections

In the Dutch parliamentary elections, the almost complete count of votes confirmed that the far-right Freedom Party (PVV), led by Geert Wilders, is winning by a huge margin. This was reported by the Dutch public broadcaster NOS.

The preliminary count of 98% of the votes showed that the PVV won 37 seats in parliament - two more than the exit poll had predicted. And this is 20 seats more than the party currently has in parliament.

It is followed by the alliance of the Left-Greens and Labour (GroenLinks-PvdA), led by former European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans, with 25 seats.

The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) of incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte, led by Dylan Yesilgoz-Zegerius, can count on 24 seats.

The newly formed political party New Social Contract (NSC), led by Peter Omzigt, is expected to win 20 seats.

The new Farmers' Citizens' Union (BBB), formed against the backdrop of farmers' protests in the Netherlands, can count on 7 seats.

All parties from the current coalition with the VVD have significantly worsened their results: "Democracy 66 (D66) received 9 seats, the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) five, and the Christian Union (CU) three.

The voter turnout was 77.8%.

After the elections, the Netherlands will face a lengthy process of coalition formation.

According to NOS, it is likely that Wilders will lead the process of forming a new government. It is likely that Wilders will try to form a right-wing government with the VVD and the New Social Contract party, which together will have a majority of 81 seats in the 150-seat parliament.

Negotiations could be difficult, as both parties have said they have serious doubts about working with Wilders due to his outspoken anti-Islamic stance, which includes a desire to ban all mosques and the Koran in the Netherlands.

Ipsos voter research shows that migration and asylum were important issues for voters and Wilders' nationalist party benefited from this.

Rutte, who has led the country for the past 10 years, will remain in office until a new government takes office, likely in the first half of 2024.

Rutte and his four-party coalition resigned in July after failing to reach agreement on a package of measures to curb migration.