D66 leader Rob Jetten celebrates after his party edges ahead of Geert Wilders' PVV in the Dutch general election, marking a historic tie in parliamentary seats. Image credit: Trouw
(The Post News) – Rob Jetten and his liberal-progressive party, D66, concluded Dutch general elections on Wednesday, defying far-right rival Geert Wilders and placing Jetten in line to become the youngest prime minister in the Netherlands ever.
The Dutch news agency ANP confirmed on Friday that with almost all votes counted, D66 could not be overtaken by Wilders’ Freedom Party. Jetten’s centrist, pro-European party won 27 seats in the 150-seat parliament, narrowly ahead of PVV with 26.
“Hey, we are the biggest party in the Netherlands! Now we will go to work for all Dutch people,” Jetten posted on X after results came in.
Wilders had earlier complained about ANP’s announcement before a completion of an official count. “What arrogance not to wait for the electoral council,” he said, alleging bias against the agency. Although the extremely close race constitutes a huge comeback for Wilders, who saw his right-wing coalition collapse earlier in the year.
End of Wilders’ Short-Lived Right-Wing Government
Under Wilders, the PVV included the right-wing parties in forming the government following the 2023 elections, which he termed “the most right-wing government ever,” a government which collapsed within the year after serious fractures ensued in the coalition over immigration policy negotiations.
In actual fact, mainstream parties have been made to rule out any joining of a new coalition with Wilders at the helm, representing complete political isolation for the far-right leader. However, while the party did lose quite a few voters to smaller nationalistic parties, like JA21 and Forum for Democracy (FvD), the far-right remained strong, overall.
Political analysts said the election does not mark the end of the far right in Dutch politics, but a shift in how it is distributed. Léonie de Jonge, a political scientist at the University of Tübingen, said:
D66 gets to start coalition talks, but the far right isn’t defeated. The real challenge is building a stable government in such a fragmented landscape.
Jetten, 38 years old, has run an energetic and upbeat campaign under the slogan “Yes, we can.” His message of optimism and collaboration seemed to resonate with voters worn down by years of political turmoil.
In the final weeks of campaign, D66 saw an impressive boost, particularly in the larger cities of Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht. Its strong pro-EU message and climate action proposals, combined with moderate reform on immigration, found acceptance and resonance almost everywhere across the left-right spectrum.
Jetten said that voters on Friday clearly said they want collaboration. Now it is time to build a government with an agenda on housing, migration, climate, and the economy.
Matthijs Rooduijn, a populism expert at the University of Amsterdam, observed that the ability of D66 to combine a progressive agenda with a pragmatic approach was the reason for its success.
Jetten “attracted both left-leaning and center-right voters,” Rooduijn said. “His positive tone and firm stance on immigration helped him win across the spectrum.”
Coalition Negotiations Begin
Dutch parliamentary tradition dictates that coalition negotiations begin with the leader of the most significant party. Jetten requires at least three partners to reach a 76-seat majority.
One possible coalition would include centre-right VVD and the Labour-GreenLeft alliance of PvdA–GroenLinks and the Christian Democratic Appeal. Nevertheless, months of negotiations may lie ahead. During the campaign, VVD head Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius said she “did not see” working with the left as realistic.
Exiting Prime Minister Dick Schoof anticipated a long-drawn procedure. “I reckon I’ll still be prime minister at Christmas,” he said while smiling.
D66 held only nine seats two years ago, and under Jetten’s leadership, it has been transformed in its image and fortunes. He dominated rival parties with confident TV debate performances, evident policy proposals, and disciplined campaigning. Political analysts described the Jetten victory as a generational and ideological turning point in Dutch politics. “Jetten proved you could defeat populism with a positive message; that is an important lesson for Europe,” said Rooduijn. The final overseas votes for D66 confirmation will be counted on Monday, and cooperation “scout” talks will begin on Tuesday. Should he lead a successful coalition, he will become the youngest prime minister in Dutch history, thus marking a new epoch in centrist leadership.
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