Updated Nov 23, 2023 - Politics & Policy

Dutch far-right leader's party gains most seats in shock election win

Rebecca Falconer

Geert Wilders, Dutch far-right politician and leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV), reacts to the exit poll and early results that strongly indicate a victory for his party in the Dutch elections in Scheveningen, Netherlands, on Thursday. Photo: Carl Court/Getty Images

Dutch populist leader Geert Wilders, whose far-right party ran on an anti-Islam, anti-immigrant platform that also called for the Netherlands to leave the EU, won the most seats in the country's parliamentary elections.

Why it matters: The surprise win by Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV) will be another boost for U.S. conservatives who saw Sunday's Argentina presidential election win of self-described "anarcho-capitalist" Javier Milei as evidence that Trumpian populism is alive and well, per Axios' Zachary Basu.

By the numbers: PVV won 37 of the 150 available parliamentary seats.

That's 12 seats more than the party's closest rival, the Green-Labour alliance, led by former European Union Commissioner Frans Timmermans.

What they're saying: "No party can ignore us any longer," Wilders said after exit poll results were announced indicating his party's gains, per The Guardian.

What's next: Once results are confirmed, negotiations will begin on forming a new coalition government.

Yes, but: Several other parties have already said they wouldn't serve in a led by PVV.

Go deeper: Hard-right politics grow across the globe

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more details on the Netherlands' election results.

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Dutch far-right leader's party gains most seats in shock election win

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