Dutch liberal party overtakes far-right nationalists in snap parliamentary election
Editor's Note: This is a developing story.
The Netherlands' liberal Democrats 66 (D66) party is projected the win the most seats in the Dutch House of Representatives, exit polls showed after the general election on Oct. 29.
The results are officially too close to call, according to exit polls.
The far-right Party for Freedom (PVV), which previously led the governing coalition, is projected to come in second after losing nearly one-third of its seats in parliament. The PVV had withdrawn from the coalition in June, necessitating a snap election.
The result marks a historic comeback for the liberal-progressive D66 faction, which won only nine seats in the Netherlands' 2023 parliamentary elections.
The vote also signals dissatisfaction with the far-right, anti-immigration PVV, led by Geert Wilders.
Wilders has spoken out against Ukrainian refugees, saying that they were coming to the Netherlands for "free housing, free healthcare, and our jobs." He has also voiced opposition to sending financial support and fighter jets to Kyiv, arguing they should be used for domestic needs.
D66, led by 38-year-old Rob Jetten, may form a coalition government that excludes the far-right factions altogether.
The conservative-liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) is projected to come in third with 23 seats, the left-wing GroenLinks-PvDA fourth with 20, and the conservative Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) fifth with 19.
Kateryna Hodunova
