Dutch populist leader Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom achieved major success in the EU Parliament elections, while the pro-farmer BBB party secured its first seats.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Geert Wilders, the leader of the Dutch populist Party for Freedom (PVV), declared his party the “biggest winner” in the EU Parliament elections on Thursday, with exit polls predicting substantial gains for the anti-mass migration party. The PVV is expected to secure at least seven seats in the next European Parliament, a significant increase from zero seats in the 2019 elections. Initial estimates from Ipsos for public broadcaster NOS indicate this as the largest gain for any Dutch party and the best performance in PVV’s history.
Despite the PVV’s success, celebrations were tempered as the alliance between the Green Left and the Labour Party (GroenLinks-PvdA), led by Green Deal architect Frans Timmermans, is projected to secure eight seats, one fewer than the previously separate parties achieved in 2019. Wilders expressed optimism that the final results could still improve for his party once official counts are revealed.
“I am very happy… We have never had seven seats before. This is unprecedented. We are by far the biggest winner,” Wilders said. “I hope that we will still become the biggest on Sunday. A better result is of course always possible, but I actually did not expect it. We are extremely grateful to the voters.”
Wilders anticipates that the strong performance of his party will be mirrored by other anti-mass migration parties across Europe, strengthening the Eurosceptic voice within the European Parliament. “You will see that the Eurosceptical voice will grow and become stronger within the European Parliament… And that is of course very good news. A signal to the elites in Brussels that things will change,” he added.
Tom Van Grieken, leader of Vlaams Belang (VB), a sister party to PVV in Belgium, echoed Wilders’ sentiments, calling the results a “very hopeful signal” for his own party’s prospects. “The party is now repeating its enormous growth in the European elections. What is possible in the Netherlands can also be done in Flanders on Sunday,” Van Grieken said.
Additionally, the upstart Farmer Citizen-Movement (BBB) party, known for its tractor protests, is projected to win at least two seats in the EU Parliament. Formed in 2019, the BBB gained prominence after winning the largest share in the Dutch Senate in last year’s provincial elections, driven by opposition to Brussels’ green agenda and the neoliberal policies of the Rutte government. The BBB is expected to be a key partner for Wilders in forming a coalition government, influencing the future governance of the Netherlands.
“I’m so happy, so happy! European elections are far away for many people, but you can see from the turnout that people thought: we just have to get in,” said BBB leader Caroline van der Plas.
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