Wilders wins Dutch polls

His victory will send shockwaves around Europe

FE Team | Published: November 23, 2023 21:25:27

THE HAGUE, Nov 23 (BBC): Veteran anti-Islam populist leader Geert Wilders has won a dramatic victory in the Dutch general election, with almost all votes counted. After 25 years in parliament, his Freedom party (PVV) is set to win 37 seats, well ahead of his nearest rival, a left-wing alliance.
"The PVV can no longer be ignored," he said. "We will govern." His win has shaken Dutch politics and it will send a shock across Europe too. But to fulfill 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.
Speaking on Thursday Mr Wilders, 60, said he was willing to compromise with other parties to be prime minister. Party members cheered and raised champagne glasses in a room crammed with TV cameras.
The PVV leader won after harnessing widespread frustration about migration, promising "borders closed" and putting on hold his promise to ban the Koran.
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 because of his far-right policies. 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, according to a forecast based on 94% of the vote.