THE HAGUE - The centre-liberal Democrats 66 (D66) party is returning to the limelight in Dutch politics after winning the most votes in Wednesday's elections to the second chamber of parliament. According to ANP, which has already counted almost all the votes, D66 has improved significantly compared to the previous elections.
This victory opens the way to power for its chairman, 38-year-old Rob Jetten. If he manages to form a governing coalition, he would become the youngest prime minister in the history of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, according to Reuters. Jetten, who is known in politics for his emphasis on the climate agenda and European integration, said on Thursday morning shortly after the results were announced that he was "ready to take responsibility and start negotiating the future of the Netherlands".
The sharp reaction came from the other end of the political spectrum. Geert Wilders, the leader of the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV), whose formation came second according to the ANP, refused to accept the election result. In a statement, he suggested that the elections "were not entirely regular" and called for a recount in some districts. The move is seen by analysts as part of his strategy to maintain attention and political influence.
The outcome of the elections shows a significant political shift in the country. While D66 is betting on progressive issues, Geert Wilders' PVV is building its agenda mainly on strict immigration control and criticism of the European Union. Negotiations to form a coalition are expected to be extremely complicated and could take several weeks, if not months. The future government is therefore likely to be the result of a compromise between several political entities.
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