On 29 October, the Netherlands held snap elections for the House of Representatives after the governing coalition fell in the aftermath of the withdrawal of support from Geert Wilder’s Freedom Party (PVV). In a significant turnaround from the 2023 elections, the centrist D66 more than doubled its seats, securing 26 seats with 16.9 per cent of the vote. PVV also secured 26 seats with 16.7 per cent of the vote. The People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) placed third with 14.2 per cent, marking a moderate decline from 2023. The GroenLinks-PvdA alliance followed with 12.8 per cent, while the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) earned 11.8 per cent of the vote, doubling its seats. The share of women in Parliament will reach 43.3 per cent, surpassing both the previous high of 42.7 per cent in 2010 and the 39.3 per cent in the previous mandate, marking the highest level in the House since 1918. Voter turnout was 78.3 per cent, up from 77.8 per cent in 2023.  

Sources: Kiesraad (1), Kiesraad (2), IPU Parline, RTL Nieuws, International IDEA 

On 23 January, the Dutch Senate approved a law on fair distribution of asylum seekers between Dutch municipalities. Over the past decade, only roughly half of Dutch municipalities have provided accommodations for asylum seekers. With 32,000 people currently housed in temporary shelters, the objective of the law is to tackle the lack of accommodation by granting the government authority to override municipalities’ refusal to accept asylum seekers. The Senate approved the law with 43 votes in favour, 27 against, and 5 abstentions. The law could be passed largely due to the support of the conservative-liberal People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVP), the party of former prime minister Mark Rutte, even though Geert Wilders’ right-wing Party for Freedom (PVV), currently trying to form a government, voted against it.

Sources: Netherlands government, Dutch News (1), Dutch News (2), NL Times, RTL Nieuws

On 22 November, the country held early general elections to elect the members of the House of Representatives following the collapse of the fourth Rutte cabinet in July, triggered by immigration policy disagreements among the coalition partners. The right-wing populist Party for Freedom (PVV), led by Geert Wilders, secured 37 out of the 150-seats, becoming the largest party for the first time. All four parties of the incumbent coalition government experienced losses. With doubled support, PVV wants to focus on issues such as cost-of-living, an exit from the EU (Nexit), closing the borders to all immigration and to the “de-Islamisization” of the country. Voter turnout was 78 per cent, down from 81 per cent in 2017. Similar to the previous legislature, women will constitute 40 per cent of the parliament.

Sources: Kiesraad, RTL Nieuws, Dutch News, IPU, International IDEA

Following the Quran desecrations in Denmark and Sweden, the far-right Dutch Pegida leader, Edwin Wagensveld, tore up a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in The Hague. A counter-protest organised by the DENK political party to condemn Wagensveld’s actions took place simultaneously. Justice Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz declared that she personally thinks the act is ‘primitive and sad,’ but added that it’s a freedom allowed in the country. The minister also cautioned that the act could lead to an increased terror threat, as seen in Sweden. The Turkish Foreign Ministry has summoned the Dutch deputy ambassador to condemn the act. Wagensveld has provoked protests in the past as well, when he tore up a copy of the Quran and referred to it as a “fascist book”, a remark for which he has yet to appear in court for hate speech.

Sources: NL Times, Euractiv, International IDEA (1), International IDEA (2)