The Netherlands is experiencing a major shift in its politics as the far-right populist party of Geert Wilders has achieved a major win in the parliamentary election yesterday.
Wilders’ Party for Freedom (PVV) gained a total of 13 seats in the house – up from its existing 9 – making it one of the largest parties in the country. The victory showcased a vast rise in popularity for the far-right leader who had gained some traction in the polls earlier this year.
The PVV campaigned on a platform to thwart immigration and “de-Islamize” the country, which managed to garner enough votes to become a major force in the Dutch politics. This election is seen as a major victory, not only for Wilders and the PVV, but also for the populist movement as a whole in Europe.
The election today is a repudiation of the center-right Liberal’s Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his party, who were expected to win. His party, the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), still managed to secure 27 seats in Parliament, but not enough to form a coalition.
Though Wilders’ victory marks a major shift in Dutch politics, it is far from certain whether or not his party will actually be able to form a coalition and whether its policies will come to be enacted. Unlike many of its European counterparts, the Netherlands still maintains a coalition system, with several smaller parties playing a large role in the new parliament.
Though Wilders has overall been seen as a divisive figure, his win is actually a nod to the broader anti-establishment sentiment sweeping across Europe. With the country’s economy and unemployment rate at its lowest levels in years, the PVV was able to channel people’s anger with the ruling class.
The results of the election today are a strong indication of the continued spread of the populist movement in Europe, and it is likely that the Netherlands will continue to be a major battleground for political ideologies in the coming years.