Rob Jetten’s centrist D66 defeats Geert Wilders in tight Dutch election
Pro-EU liberal leader says victory shows populism can be beaten; set to become youngest and first openly gay Dutch prime minister
AMSTERDAM (MNTV) — Dutch centrist leader Rob Jetten has claimed victory in one of the Netherlands’ closest elections in decades, defeating far-right rival Geert Wilders after a campaign dominated by immigration and housing issues.
The 38-year-old head of the pro-EU D66 party, which secured the most votes in this week’s general election, declared that his win showed “populism can be beaten” through a positive vision for the country.
“I think we’ve now shown to the rest of Europe and the world that it’s possible to beat populist movements if you campaign with hope,” Jetten told supporters after preliminary results from news agency ANP showed D66 ahead by over 15,000 votes.
Both D66 and Wilders’ Party for Freedom (PVV) are projected to hold 26 seats in the 150-member parliament, though D66 may gain a 27th once all ballots—including overseas votes—are counted. ANP analysts said Wilders could no longer overtake Jetten’s party.
The result marks a sharp reversal for Wilders, whose PVV had stunned observers with a surprise win in the 2023 polls but lost a significant share of its support this year.
Jetten’s D66, meanwhile, tripled its seat count through an upbeat campaign focused on social unity, housing reform, and climate action.
If Jetten successfully forms a governing coalition, he would become the youngest and first openly gay prime minister in Dutch history.
Coalition talks are expected to be complex and could take months. D66 will need at least three partners to reach a majority, with the liberal VVD (22 seats), center-right CDA (18), and the left-wing Green/Labour bloc (20) seen as potential allies.
However, divisions remain, with VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz having previously ruled out working with Green/Labour.
Jetten urged mainstream parties “from left to right” to unite on key national issues.
“We want to find a majority that will eagerly work on housing, migration, climate, and the economy,” he said.
Wilders criticized Jetten for declaring victory too early, writing on X that it was “arrogant not to wait” for the Electoral Council’s official certification, expected Monday when overseas ballots are counted.
Despite PVV’s losses, other far-right parties such as the nationalist Forum for Democracy (FvD) performed relatively well, maintaining a foothold on the right.
Once final results are confirmed, party leaders are expected to begin formal coalition negotiations on Tuesday.
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