Dutch Centrists Win Snap Election, Block Far-Right Advance

Dutch voters handed a big win to the centrist Democrats 66 (D66) party in yesterday's snap general election, dealing a blow to Europe's growing populist wave. With about half the votes counted late Wednesday, D66 is on track to grab 27 seats in the 150-seat lower house, just ahead of Geert Wilders' far-right Freedom Party with 25 seats.

D66 supporters celebrated in the streets of The Hague, cheering and waving Dutch flags. Party leader Rob Jetten, a 38-year-old former climate minister who's openly gay, rallied the crowd: "We've shown the Netherlands and the world that you can beat populist and extreme-right movements." 

He promised to focus on fixing the housing shortage, investing in education, and handling immigration in a fair way, moving away from what he called "negative politics full of hate."

• Dutch centrists win election, halt far-right surge led by Geert Wilders
• D66 tops Dutch vote, Rob Jetten poised to form new coalition government
• Populism checked in Dutch snap poll as centrists reclaim political center

Wilders, the longtime anti-immigration politician who's faced death threats for years and lives under heavy protection, admitted the close loss but stayed defiant. "We wanted more seats, and I regret not getting them, but we're still here," he said outside his party's headquarters.

His Freedom Party pushed hard for tough measures like banning all asylum seekers – even if it breaks EU rules – sending Ukrainian male refugees home, and cutting foreign aid to pay for energy and health care. But his extreme views scared off possible allies, much like after his 2023 win that led to the government's collapse this summer over migration fights.

The election came after that June collapse and highlighted worries over the economy and borders. The left-wing Greens-Labour alliance, led by former EU Commissioner Frans Timmermans, dropped to 20 seats from 25, and Timmermans stepped down right away. Other mainstream groups, like the Christian Democrats and center-right VVD, kept their strength and reaffirmed support for NATO, the EU, and aid to Ukraine.

Experts say D66's victory gives hope to moderates. Jetten could become the country's youngest prime minister in a coalition needing 76 seats total. Building that deal might take months, as is common in Dutch politics. "Populism isn't gone," said political expert Sarah de Lange, "but this shows its boundaries when it clashes with practical politics."

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Across Europe, the result highlights a tough balance: sticking with the middle ground amid pushes from the edges, especially on immigration.