Dutch parliamentary elections: Opinion polls show the victory of the far right led by Wilders

The results of opinion polls after the exit of the leader of the anti-Islam Dutch Freedom Party, Geert Wilders, showed a clear lead in the parliamentary elections that took place on Wednesday in the country.

Geert Wilders is heading towards a dramatic victory in the Dutch parliamentary elections, according to an Ipsos poll.

After 25 years in the Dutch parliament, his Freedom Party is on track to obtain 35 seats, according to the poll, far ahead of its closest competitor, a left-wing coalition.

If the result is confirmed, it will shake Dutch politics, the BBC notes, but it confirms that he will struggle to find parties to join him in government.

No party can win enough seats to govern alone, and the three main parties behind it have made clear they do not want to work with Wilders.

Kate Parker, of the Economist Intelligence Unit, said this could lead to a “constitutional impasse” in the EU’s fifth-largest economy.

But he himself said, “We want to govern and we will govern with 35 seats.”

The Left Alliance led by Frans Timmermans is expected to come in second place with 26 seats.

The centre-right Liberals led by Dylan Yeşilgoz-Zygerius, the initial favorite to win, are heading for third place, ahead of a new centrist party led by MP Peter Umtsigt.

Opinion polls in the Netherlands show a shift to the right – a concern in Brussels

If the final results are confirmed, Wilders’ victory would mark a surprise shift to the right that would cause concern in Brussels: the Freedom Party specifically promised to hold a referendum on Dutch accession to the European Union.

“This may not be what other parties in Europe or other countries are looking for, but this is democracy,” the 60-year-old politician said immediately after casting his vote.

His anti-immigration message, which includes closing borders and deporting illegal immigrants, appears to have resonated with Dutch voters.

Although Wilders appears victorious in the opinion polls, it is not certain that he will be able to form a ruling coalition.