The PVV-led government, which also included the liberal VVD, the centrist New Social Contract and the populist Farmer-Citizens Movement, was marked by infighting and collapsed less than a year into its term when Wilders pulled his party out of the coalition over a dispute on asylum policy.
Migration and a severe housing crisis in the Netherlands were hot topics in the runup to Wednesday’s vote. But campaigns also revolved around the question of stable leadership, with parties staking out positions against the anti-migration PVV and ruling out any further collaboration with Wilders.
The CDA also erupted in cheers at a beach club in The Hague when supporters saw they were projected to almost quadruple their seats in parliament from 5 to 19.
Former CDA Agriculture Minister Gerda Verburg told POLITICO she was delighted with the result: “Now we can start building calmer, stable politics again.” She added she was relieved Wilders’ Freedom Party didn’t “grow more.”
Fans of the GreenLeft-Labor alliance, who gathered in the large Maassilo venue in Rotterdam, fell silent after the exit poll revealed the joint ticket had underperformed, losing seats compared to the last election and falling short of predictions in the most recent surveys.
Enthusiasm had built before the exit poll, in a venue lit up in red and green where attendees were served red and green shots — but the mood was quickly doused.
This story is being updated.
Elena Giordano reported from Brussels. Hanne Cokelaere reported from Leiden. Pieter Haeck reported from Rotterdam. Koen Verhelst and Eva Hartog reported from The Hague.