Pro-EU liberals score surprise victory over Geert Wilders in Dutch elections

In the House of Representatives elections held yesterday in the Netherlands, Geert Wilders’s party lost ground while the pro-EU liberal D66 achieved a surprise success.

The parties that took first and second place, the centrist liberal D66 and the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV), are sworn enemies.

During the election campaign, D66 leader Rob Jetten positioned himself as the opposite of PVV leader Geert Wilders. Wilders, in turn, stated that he was “fundamentally against everything Jetten says.”

Traditionally in the Netherlands, the largest party gets the first right to form a coalition, and its leader is nominated to become prime minister. This currently seems to be the case for Jetten, especially since none of the mainstream parties want to cooperate with Wilders.

However, if negotiations fail, others will have a chance to try, meaning the coming weeks will remain unpredictable.

“We did it! This is possible,” said the 38-year-old D66 leader Jetten to an enthusiastic crowd in Leiden, shouting the party’s campaign slogan.

In the 2023 elections, D66 had won only nine seats, 17 fewer than yesterday. The Dutch parliament has 150 seats.

Speaking to reporters on election night, Jetten stated that the results were of historical significance, “because we have shown not only to the Netherlands but to the whole world that it is possible to defeat populist and far-right movements.”

Meanwhile, the center-right People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) also delivered a strong performance, defying pessimistic expectations. It was predicted that the party could lose 10 seats compared to its 2023 results, but according to preliminary estimates, the party will lose only two seats and finish third in the race.

When facing the press, Wilders acted humbly, describing the loss of 11 seats as a “heavy setback.”

Nevertheless, the PVV leader warned reporters, “Fasten your seatbelts, we are just getting started.”

An EU diplomat speaking to POLITICO said, “Many in Brussels will welcome the rise of a mainstream, pro-governance, and reform-oriented party. The Dutch can contribute a lot to the EU.”

The same diplomat pointed out that given the current geopolitical challenges facing Europe, it is “crucial for European cooperation that the new government is stable and can make bold decisions.”

Jetten told POLITICO this week that he wants to bring the Netherlands closer to the EU.

“We want to stop saying ‘no’ by default and start saying ‘yes’ to doing more together. I cannot emphasize enough how dire the situation for Europe will be if we do not achieve more integration,” he said.

Officials in Brussels expect the new Dutch government to maintain the same general outlook on key policies: restraint in the EU’s long-term budget; combating migration; increasing trade and competitiveness; supporting Ukraine; and a stronger common defense.

One area where things could get complicated is climate policy. Jetten is committed to climate action and may form a coalition agreement in these elections with the GreenLeft-Labour Party, led by former EU Green Deal chief Frans Timmermans.

On the other hand, housing and migration, two issues often linked by far-right politicians, were central to the Dutch election campaign. Both topics will continue to be on the EU’s agenda.

D66 stands out as a pro-European party that tends to attract urban and high-income voters. While in its early days the party advocated for the direct election of prime ministers and mayors, in 2025 it focused its campaign on solving the Netherlands’ housing crisis, particularly with its plan to build new cities.

The party campaigned on the promise of focusing on “affordable, green energy from our own soil” to keep energy prices low. It also aimed to secure “the healthiest generation ever” by prioritizing disease prevention. Additionally, it wants to emphasize greener residential areas and better education.

Furthermore, D66 has hardened its stance on migration, advocating for a system where people make their asylum applications outside of Europe.

Party leader Rob Jetten pointed to the collapse of two consecutive Dutch governments over asylum policy.