The Hague, Netherlands
Anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders won a huge victory in Dutch elections, according to a near complete count of the vote early Thursday, in a stunning lurch to the far right for a nation once famed as a beacon of tolerance. The result will send shockwaves through Europe, where far-right ideology is on the rise, and puts Wilders in line to lead talks to form the next governing coalition and possibly become the first far-right prime minister of the Netherlands.
With nearly all votes counted, Wilders' Party for Freedom was forecast to win 37 seats in the 150-seat lower house of parliament, two more than predicted by an exit poll when voting finished Wednesday night and more than double the 17 he won at the last election.
"I had to pinch my arm," a jubilant Wilders said.
Political parties were set to hold separate meetings Thursday to discuss the outcome before what is likely to be an arduous process of forming a new governing coalition begins Friday.
Despite his harsh rhetoric, Wilders has already begun courting other right and center parties by saying in a victory speech that whatever policies he pushes will be "within the law and constitution."
Wilders' election program included calls for a referendum on the Netherlands leaving the European Union, a total halt to accepting asylum-seekers and migrant pushbacks at Dutch borders.
It also advocates the "de-Islamization" of the Netherlands. He says he wants no mosques or Islamic schools in the country, although he has been milder about Islam during this election campaign than in the past.
Instead, his victory seems based on his campaign to rein-in migration — the issue that caused the last governing coalition to quit in July — and tackle issues such as the cost-of-living crisis and housing shortages.
"Voters said, 'We are sick of it. Sick to our stomachs,'" he said, adding he is now on a mission to end the "asylum tsunami," referring to the migration issue that came to dominate his campaign.
"The Dutch will be No. 1 again," Wilders said. "The people must get their nation back."
But Wilders, who has in the past been labeled a Dutch version of Donald Trump, first must form a coalition government before he can take the reins of power.
That will be tough as mainstream parties are reluctant to join forces with him and his party, but the size of his victory strengthens his hand in any negotiations.
Wilders Calls on Other Parties to Engage in Coalition Talks
Wilders, the leader of the far-right Party for Freedom, has called on other parties to constructively engage in coalition talks after his party's historic victory in the Dutch parliamentary election. Despite his strong anti-Islam, anti-EU, and anti-migrant stance, Wilders has never been in power in a nation known for compromise politics.
Pieter Omtzigt, a former centrist Christian Democrat who built his own New Social Contract party in just three months, has expressed his willingness to engage in talks with Wilders.
The closest party to Wilders in the election was an alliance of the center-left Labor Party and Green Left, which was forecast to win 25 seats. However, its leader, Frans Timmermans, has made it clear that Wilders should not expect a coalition with his party. Timmermans stated, "We will never form a coalition with parties that pretend that asylum seekers are the source of all misery," emphasizing his commitment to defending Dutch democracy.
Historic Victory for Wilders in Dutch Election
In a historic victory, the far-right Party for Freedom, led by Geert Wilders, has emerged as the winner of the Dutch parliamentary election. This comes one year after the win of Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, who has softened her stance on several issues and is now considered the acceptable face of the hard right in the EU.
Wilders, known for his strong anti-Islam, anti-EU, and anti-migrant views, has long been a firebrand in Dutch politics. However, his party's victory marks the first time he has come close to power in a nation known for compromise politics.
Orban Congratulates Wilders on Election Victory
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has been vocal about turning Hungary into an "illiberal" state and shares similar views on migration and EU institutions, was quick to congratulate Geert Wilders on his election victory. Orban stated, "The winds of change are here! Congratulations."
Geert "Milders" Softens Stance in Dutch Election
During the final weeks of his campaign, Geert Wilders somewhat softened his stance and vowed that he would be a prime minister for all Dutch people, so much so that he gained the moniker Geert "Milders."
The election was called after the fourth and final coalition of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte resigned in July after failing to agree to measures to rein-in migration.
Rutte was replaced by Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, a former refugee from Turkey who could have become the country's first female prime minister had her party won the most votes. Instead, it was forecast to lose 10 seats to end up with 24.
The result is the latest in a series of elections that is altering the European political landscape. From Slovakia and Spain to Germany and Poland, populist and hard-right parties triumphed in some EU member nations and faltered in others.
