Dutch Election: Wilders Unexpectedly Leads Polls
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — Dutch polling stations open on Wednesday and the race for power in the Netherlands is anyone’s game. Four rival party leaders are vying for the top spot, and the volatile polls in the final days of the campaign have left the outcome uncertain. One of the big surprises is the sudden surge in support for the far-right party of Geert Wilders.
Wilders leads the anti-Islam and anti-EU Freedom Party (PVV), which appears to be making a dramatic comeback in the polls, with one survey putting him on equal footing with outgoing premier Mark Rutte’s group, the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). Another poll shows him tied in first position with EU veteran Frans Timmermans’ Labour-Green alliance.
Regardless of the polls, 63 percent of voters had not yet decided on their final choice one day ahead of the election. A return for Wilders would be a seismic moment for politics in the Netherlands, as mainstream party leaders have historically refused to work with him in power-sharing arrangements.
However, there has been a shift in tone, with the new leader of Rutte’s party, Dilan Yeşilgöz, indicating that she would not exclude Wilders’ PVV from coalition negotiations. Wilders himself has taken a more moderate stance, stating that his views on Islam are taking a back seat and that there are more important priorities to deal with after the election, such as healthcare and social security. However, his anti-Islam rhetoric is still a part of the PVV’s election program, and he is openly hostile to the European Union.
The unexpected surge of public support for Wilders’ party has been signaled by several pollsters, raising questions about potential coalition partnerships if the PVV emerges as one of the biggest parties following the election.
This race to power has created a deeply polarized political landscape, with supporters of more progressive parties hoping to alleviate the influence of the far right by voting tactically. The election results could shape the future of Dutch politics for years to come.