Dutch populist leader Geert Wilders declared his party the “biggest winner” in the country’s European elections on Thursday, after exit polls predicted a big gain for his anti-mass immigration party.
An exit poll on Thursday predicted that the populist Party for Freedom (PVV) will build on its recent domestic success and secure at least seven seats in the next European Parliament after winning zero seats in the 2019 EU elections, according to initial estimates by Ipsos. Delegate According to the votes received by the national broadcaster NOS, this was the largest number of votes ever received by a Dutch political party and the largest number of votes ever received by the PVV.
But while the PVV was the big winner of the night, the celebrations were somewhat muted as exit polls had predicted that Green Deal architect Frans Timmermans’ coalition with the Green Left and Labor Party (GroenLinks-PvdA) would come out on top with eight seats. However, this was one seat less than each party won in 2019, and Wilders noted after the official results were announced that there was still a chance the party could pick up another seat.
Wilders Said“I’m very happy… We’ve never won seven seats before. This is unprecedented. We are by far the biggest winners. I hope we’ll be the biggest winners on Sunday as well. Of course, a better outcome is always possible, but I didn’t actually expect it. We’re very grateful to our voters.”
The Dutch politician also said other anti-mass immigration parties across Europe voting this week were likely to replicate the large vote share his party won. “We will see eurosceptic voices growing and becoming stronger in the European Parliament, which is of course very good news. It is a signal to the Brussels elites that things are changing,” he said.
Anti-immigration populist Geert Wilders wins most seats in Dutch elections, exit polls showhttps://t.co/U1n1EKvXPr
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) November 22, 2023
This was supported by Tom Van Grieken, leader of the Vlaams Verandah (VB), the sister party to Belgium’s PVV. To tell He said Wilders’ victory was a “very encouraging sign” for his Flemish party’s chances of victory on Sunday.
“The party is now making another big breakthrough in the European elections. What is possible in the Netherlands can also be achieved in Flanders on Sunday,” he said.
Emerging party BBB also won on Thursday night and is expected to beat several other parties to win at least two seats in the European Parliament.
Despite only being formed in 2019, the Tractor Protest Party is building a history of success. It won a surprising comeback in last year’s local elections after an explosion of anger against environmental policies in Brussels and the neoliberal Rutte government in The Hague, making it the largest party in the Dutch Senate. After winning last year’s elections, the party is set to be one of Wilders’ main partners in forming a coalition government later this month, meaning the Farmers Party is likely to have a major influence on the future governance of the Netherlands.
Commenting on Thursday’s results, BBB Leader Caroline van der Plas said: Said“I’m very happy, very happy! The European elections are still a long way off for many people, but the turnout shows that people just felt they had no choice but to take part.”
‘Stop Green Communism’: Farmers protesters storm Brussels, block French borders ahead of EU electionshttps://t.co/MLWub6IeBn
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) June 5, 2024
