Dutch voters have delivered a narrow victory to the progressive liberal party D66, which took 26 seats in parliament – the same as Geert Wilders' far-right Freedom Party (PVV) but with a lead of just 28,400 votes. D66 leader Rob Jetten has appointed a 'scout' to explore coalition options, and could become the Netherlands' youngest-ever prime minister at the head of a centrist, pro-EU government.
The result is a remarkable turnaround for D66, which held only nine seats in the previous parliament, while the PVV fell from 37 seats in 2023. Analysts credit Jetten's upbeat, constructive campaign, which echoed Barack Obama's 'Yes, we can' with the slogan 'het kan wél'. He was described as 'the anti-Wilders' for his positive, calm style.
However, experts caution that this is not a simple defeat for populism. The PVV's losses were offset by gains for other far-right parties: the conspiratorial Forum for Democracy rose from three to seven seats and the more moderate JA21 from one to nine. Overall, the far right improved its position, and D66 won with barely 17% of the vote.
D66's success was also aided by voter fatigue after a dysfunctional coalition under Wilders, which collapsed after 11 months amid infighting. All four outgoing government parties were punished, with the centrist New Social Contract party losing all 20 seats. The Netherlands' highly proportional electoral system, in which 0.67% of the vote secures one MP, also contributed to fragmentation across 15 parties.
Notably, D66 did not campaign primarily on progressive issues. Political scientists say the party prioritised a tougher line on migration over climate, LGBTQ+ rights and EU integration. The GreenLeft/Labour alliance, led by Frans Timmermans, lost five seats, finishing fourth. As such, the Dutch result offers lessons for liberals, but it is far from a universal blueprint.
