According to exit polls*, it is looking like the incumbent PM's party will still have the most seats of of any party (31), with Geert Wilder's PVV running neck-and-neck for second place (three parties are estimated to win 19 seats each). There are 150 seats total.
* As The Netherlands uses a nation-wide proportional representation system, exit polls are typically fairly accurate, apparently.
Still going to be a mess trying to build a coalition government in such a fractured parliament (maybe they should bring in some Italian consultants?). It looks like it will take at least four parties, and as nobody else wants to work with the PVV more likely it will be at least five, unless the final results nudge a few more seats to the larger parties.
Anyway, I'm somewhat relieved to see that even if the PVV did increase its seat count (from 15 to 19), it is still well short of being able to claim largest party status. And this was with apparently very high voter turn out (I've seen estimates of 73 and 80% of the electorate having voted, so something up there), so the results do strongly reflect the will of the populace.
I hope this helps bolster the morale of those trying to stem the tide of extremism in other countries with upcoming elections.
* As The Netherlands uses a nation-wide proportional representation system, exit polls are typically fairly accurate, apparently.
Still going to be a mess trying to build a coalition government in such a fractured parliament (maybe they should bring in some Italian consultants?). It looks like it will take at least four parties, and as nobody else wants to work with the PVV more likely it will be at least five, unless the final results nudge a few more seats to the larger parties.
Anyway, I'm somewhat relieved to see that even if the PVV did increase its seat count (from 15 to 19), it is still well short of being able to claim largest party status. And this was with apparently very high voter turn out (I've seen estimates of 73 and 80% of the electorate having voted, so something up there), so the results do strongly reflect the will of the populace.
I hope this helps bolster the morale of those trying to stem the tide of extremism in other countries with upcoming elections.
