Harren the Black

Interesting comments about the definition of winning an election. Maybe that disconnect is also because it sometimes can take a year before any coalition is formed, and at you could say: "The PVV did very well in this election, much better than the other parties and much better than they ever did", which is I think in general what is meant here. But indeed, it could well be that 'winning the election' is not the right frame. Having thought about it more, and also reading some analyses: I am not sure about the best way forward. Forming a center-broad coalition without the PVV may be best on the short term, but will even further radicalise and grow their voters, creating even greater problems further on. If PVV is forced to govern, their support should reduce, because they can never fulfill all their empty promises - somehow similar as the situation in 2010-2012 when they were a gedoogpartner (supporting the right wing government at the time without being a direct part of it) - they had to take responsibility, the government collapsed within 1.5 years and the support for PVV reduced by almost half. Or the time in 2002 when the LPF (extreme right populist party) joined the government, fell apart after infighting within 3 months, and being decimated in the next election. I don't know..

Of course, it is by no means a certainty that Wilders will become the PM, but the fact that they have become the biggest party, by a large margin, means they have won the election at least, if not the coalition negotiations that follow. VVD (the current largest right-wing party) and NSC (a new centrist party) have not explicitly stated they would never work with the PVV - VVD used to say that in the last few years but their new leader has opened the door to the PVV during the campaign - a strategy that gave PVV too much room to grow. And these three have the majority in the current exit poll results. I fear there is definitely a probability of a right wing coalition with the PVV, though I really hope it will not happen.

Current exit polls in the Netherlands show Geert Wilders far right PVV party win the elections, getting almost 25% of the votes. https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/nov/22/netherlands-dutch-general-election-vote-result-exit-poll-prime-minister-government-live-latest-result It may still shift a bit, and a coalition needs to be formed, but I am sickened by the thought of so many of my countrymen voting for such a xenophobic party.