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Speaking to reporters, Wilders said he was disappointed that his party had lost seats and that he would likely not be part of the next government. But he vowed to fight on from the opposition. “Of course we would have liked to win more seats and I regret the loss, but it’s not as if we were wiped off the map,” he said. A projection based on the vote count is expected around midnight local time (2300 GMT), but exit polls have traditionally been reliable. Read moreDutch right-wing parties strike deal to form coalition government Tough coalition talks The Dutch election was seen as a test of whether the far right can expand its reach or whether it has peaked in parts of Europe. The outcome may suggest there are limits to its enduring appeal. While the other mainstream parties all pledged tougher anti-immigration stances, the election result, if confirmed, indicates that Wilders’ unwillingness to compromise is also not a recipe for taking and holding power in the Netherlands, with its long tradition of consensus-building. All mainstream parties remain committed to core international issues such as support for NATO, the EU, and Ukraine, including plans to increase military spending. Reacting to a disappointing outcome for the Dutch Greens-Labour, former EU Commissioner Frans Timmermans stepped down as party leader. Exit polls showed the left-wing party would drop to 20 seats, down from 25 seats in 2023. With 76 seats needed to form a governing coalition in the Netherlands’ parliament, at least four parties will be required. One scenario is a pact including D66, the conservative Christian Democrats, the centre-right VVD, and the Greens-Labour party. (FRANCE 24 with Reuters)
