By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Exit polls indicated a significant shift in the 2025 Dutch General Election, with the centrist D66 party projected to win, tripling their parliamentary representation and potentially leading to Rob Jetten becoming the next prime minister. While the far-right PVV appeared to lose ground, their losses seemingly benefited other nationalist factions. GroenLinks-PvdA faced disappointment, projected to lose seats despite expectations of becoming the largest party, while the CDA saw a resurgence. A high percentage of undecided voters and last-minute use of online voting guides reflected the volatile political climate and a sense of historical importance among the electorate.
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Centrist D66 wins Dutch election, knocking far-right PVV to second, exit poll shows. Well, this is big news coming out of the Netherlands! Initial exit polls suggest a significant shift in the political landscape, with the centrist party D66 emerging victorious and, notably, pushing the far-right PVV into second place. That’s a definite shakeup, and it seems like the country is potentially steering in a new direction.
If the exit polls hold true, D66’s leader could become Prime Minister, and that would be a historic moment. They would be the first openly LGBTQ+ Prime Minister in Dutch history. It shows a willingness of the Dutch electorate to embrace progress and inclusivity. It’s definitely something to celebrate.
While these are just exit polls and the final vote count will tell the whole story, early indications suggest a victory for D66. The PVV, the party often compared to the Trump-esque movement, seems to have been dealt a blow. Keep in mind the vote counting will continue and there’s always a chance the results could shift a bit, but the initial picture looks promising for D66.
Beyond the headline result, there are other interesting dynamics at play. JA21, a party that broke away from the FvD (another party to the right) seems to have gained ground, becoming a choice for those who are disillusioned with the more extreme parties. JA21 seems to be the party of choice for far-right and protest voters who are disillusioned with Wilders. They’re positioning themselves as a more “sensible” conservative option.
The potential for a coalition government is the next big question. Given the initial results, a D66-led government might involve the VVD (economic liberal conservatives), CDA (Christian Democrats), and either JA21 (right-leaning) or GLPvdA (Green Left). This could potentially lead to a somewhat complex government to form since the views held could be far apart. It could mean a period of negotiations and potentially some political instability down the road.
Let’s not forget the “WTF” moment for anyone unfamiliar with Dutch politics: the existence of an animal rights party, which has actually been part of governing coalitions in the past! Dutch politics has its own quirks and it’s always interesting to see how these dynamics play out.
And speaking of interesting, it’s pretty common to hear people surprised by the popularity of field hockey in the Netherlands, especially among men. It’s definitely a major sport, a big part of Dutch culture.
It’s clear that D66 is often considered a centrist or center-left party. Some consider them progressive liberals, with strong views on social issues and green policies. The party is in favor of a wealth tax.
It is worth noting that some commentators believe the merging of PvdA (Labour) with GL (GreenLeft) was a misstep, pushing D66 toward the center. It has made a potential coalition with the VVD (conservative liberals) and GLPvdA (Green Left) practically impossible.
Looking ahead, a coalition involving D66, CDA, VVD, and JA21 might be more pragmatic and stable, although there will still be challenges on specific issues. It’s definitely going to be interesting to watch the negotiations and see how things unfold. The Dutch are generally a pragmatic people, so hopefully, they can find common ground.