Dutch anti EU far right populist Geert Wilders will start looking for coalition partners on Thursday after a massive election win that is set to have wide repercussions in the Netherlands and Europe.
A fan of Hungary’s eurosceptic Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the vocally anti-Islam Wilders has vowed to halt all immigration, slash Dutch payments to the European Union and block the entrance of any new members, including Ukraine.
Contrary to all forecasts, the Freedom Party (PVV) led by him secured a remarkable victory by winning 37 seats out of 150, surpassing the joint Labour/Green ticket with 25 seats and the conservative People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) of the outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte, which obtained 24 seats.
“The Rutte era concludes with a right-wing populist upheaval that profoundly impacts (The Hague),” commented the Dutch center-right daily NRC.
A potential coalition comprising the Freedom Party, VVD, and the NSC party of centrist lawmaker Pieter Omtzigt could amass a total of 81 seats, making it the most apparent alliance. However, the formation of such a coalition is expected to entail months of intricate negotiations. Dutch anti EU far
Despite the fact that none of the parties Wilders could potentially form a government with align entirely with his anti-EU stance, he expressed confidence in reaching an agreement during his victory speech late on Wednesday. He emphasized his party’s commitment to governance, stating, “We want to govern, and … we will govern.”
The success of Wilders in the elections serves as a warning to mainstream parties throughout Europe in anticipation of the upcoming European Parliament elections in June. It is anticipated that these elections will revolve around similar issues as the Dutch election, namely immigration, cost of living, and climate change. This victory signals a growing influence of right-wing populist sentiments on the political landscape, raising concerns for mainstream parties across the continent.