The new post-Mark Rutte era in the Netherlands opens under the sign of Geert Wilders. And the unknown of the far right becomes a certainty. The anti-Islam ultranationalist is in the lead in the first exit poll released at the close of the polls, sealing the predictions of the day before and paving the way for a political earthquake that will be felt far beyond the Dutch borders.
The platinum-haired leader convinced the majority of voters to choose his hard line of "no to migrants, no to Islamic schools, no to the Koran and no to mosques". And if the results are confirmed, he will be the tipping point to create a markedly right-wing coalition after long years spent in opposition.
«The PVV can no longer be ignored. We will govern,” said Wilders, who then called on others to work together and “overcome their own shadows.”
More than doubling the spoils of the 17 seats obtained in the 2021 elections, Wilders' PVV would win 35 of the 150 seats up for grabs in the Lower House of the States General of the Netherlands, the only one with universal suffrage. The Labor-Green ticket led by the former vice-president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, would instead receive 26 seats (against the respective 9 and 8 obtained by running separately in the last round). Third, with a disappointing result compared to expectations, the leader of Kurdish origins Dilan Yesilgoz, considered the heir of the outgoing Rutte and stuck at 23 seats (11 less than her predecessor achieved in 2021). The New Social Contract (NSC) founded only in August by the Christian Democrat outsider Pieter Omtzigt is further behind at 20 seats.
«Matteo Salvini sent a text message of support and congratulations «to his friend Geert Wilders». For the leader of the League, "nothing but a mess with the socialists, a new Europe will be born in Florence on 3 December", explains Salvini, recalling the demonstration organized by the League with its European allies (including Wilders). The Northern League makes this known. Hungarian Orban also sent a message of congratulations, through X: «The winds of change are here. Congratulations to Geert Wilder for winning the Dutch elections."
