EBN- Controversial, far-right politician Geert Wilders could be on track to become the Netherlands’ next prime minister following a surprise victory in general elections overnight.
Preliminary figures showed that Wilders’ right-wing Freedom Party (PVV) has gained 37 seats, putting it ahead of the GreenLeft-Labour party (GL/Pvda) alliance with 25 seats and the liberal-conservative Freedom and Democracy Party (VVD) with 25 seats.
The result marks a dramatic change in political fortunes for Wilders, whose PVV party won just 17 seats in snap elections in 2021.
But to fulfil his pledge to be “prime minister for everyone”, he will have to persuade other parties to join him in a coalition. His target is 76 seats in the 150-seat parliament.
At a party meeting, Wilders, 60, was cheered and toasted by party members in a room crammed with TV cameras.
He said that “of course” he was willing to negotiate and compromise with other parties to become prime minister.
He was in combative mood in his victory speech: “We want to govern and… we will govern. [The seat numbers are] an enormous compliment but an enormous responsibility too.”
Before the vote, the three other big parties ruled out taking part in a Wilders-led government. But that might change because of the scale of his victory.
The left-wing alliance under ex-EU commissioner Frans Timmermans has come a distant second with 25 seats.
He made clear he would have nothing to do with a Wilders-led government. He promised to defend Dutch democracy and rule of law. “We won’t let anyone in the Netherlands go. In the Netherlands everyone is equal,” he told supporters.
That leaves third-placed centre-right liberal VVD under new leader Dilan Yesilgöz, and a brand new party formed by whistleblower MP Pieter Omtzigt in fourth – both have congratulated him on the result.
