Geert Wilders Bags Unexpected Win in Dutch Elections

With over 23 percent of the vote, the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) has won 37 seats out of 150 – more than twice the seats gained in the previous general election.

“Our new faction of no fewer than 37 members met for the first time this morning under the watchful eye of a lot of press,” Wilders said. “We are going to work hard to put the Dutch first again!”

Far-right leaders across Europe, including Marine LePen and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, welcomed the PVV’s result.

“Congratulations to Geert Wilders and the PVV for their spectacular performance in the legislative elections which confirms the growing attachment to the defense of national identities,” Marine Le Pen commented. “It is because there are people who refuse to see the national torch extinguished that the hope for change remains alive in Europe.”

“The winds of change are here! Congratulations to Geert Wilders on winning the Dutch elections!” Orbán wrote.

Geert Wilders has long held some controversial stances, calling for the “de-Islamisation” of the Netherlands and the closure of all mosques in the country, as well as for a complete halt to the arrival of asylum seekers. He also called for a referendum on the country’s EU membership.

The Dutch branch of Amnesty International commented the news by stating that “human rights lost” on their website.

The Road to Premiership

“A racist party has won the Dutch elections,” a statement on their website reads. “A party that dismisses specific population groups by labelling them as inferior. A party that, every election manifesto shows, is prepared to undermine the rule of law and the constitution. A party that abandons people on the run. We continue to fight for human rights. For everyone. Always.”

As the leader of the biggest party in the Netherlands, Wilders aims to become the country’s first far-right Prime Minister. However, he needs to reach 76 seats to govern the country. His success depends on whether he’ll be able to convince other parties to enter a coalition government with PVV.

This is far from an easy task. Wilders promised in his victory speech that his policies will remain “within the law and constitution”, as well as signalling he would be willing to renounce his most anti-Islam stances. However, the main opposition parties are for now ruling out an alliance with PVV.

On the other hand, forming any government coalition that does not include PVV seems just a complicated. With 26 parties at the elections, the Dutch vote is extremely fragmented.