The centrist D66 party has made huge gains in close-run Dutch elections, as the party of far-right leader Geert Wilders lost support, with tough coalition talks expected to follow.
Whichever party gains the most seats will have the first opportunity to try to form the next government, but many parties have ruled out the possibility of working with Mr Wilders, leaving D66 in pole position. The party's leader, Rob Jetten, said political leaders now needed to seek common ground “to form a stable and ambitious Cabinet".
With 98 per cent of votes counted early on Thursday, D66 and Mr Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV) were both projected to take 26 seats in the 150-seat lower house of parliament. After a night of vote counting, D66 held a narrow lead of 2,300 votes of the total of about 10 million votes cast. Counting is to resume on Thursday morning.
D66 made the biggest gains and almost tripled its seats, while Wilders' party suffered a sharp fall from a record showing in the last poll in 2023.
Exit polls and early results indicated a narrow victory for the progressive D66, with the PVV trailing in second place. But vote counting indicated a slightly stronger showing for the anti-Islam populist party.
The shift in the early hours of Thursday is unlikely to alter the composition of the next government coalition. All major mainstream parties have ruled out governing with Mr Wilders after he brought down the last coalition led by his party, leaving him no viable path to a majority.
The result instead seems to pave the way for Mr Jetten to form a government as the youngest prime minister of the Netherlands.
But Mr Wilders insisted early on Thursday that he would take the lead if the PVV came out on top. "As long as it's not 100 per cent clear, D66 can't take the lead. We will do everything we can to prevent that," he said in a post on X.
Mr Wilders said on Wednesday evening that he was disappointed his party had lost seats and was unlikely to be in the next government. “Today is a day of results and we lost and Mr Jetten won, so he deserves congratulations too,” he said in parliament.
Putting together a coalition that can command a majority in the House of Representatives will be difficult in a parliament divided between the political left and right. While Mr Wilders' party lost seats, another hard-right party, Ja21, grew from one seat to nine.
Night of celebration
Cheers and chants of "yes, we can" broke out during the D66 election night celebration as the crowd waved Dutch flags. "We've shown not only to the Netherlands, but also to the world, that it is possible to beat populist and extreme-right movements," Mr Jetten told the crowd. "Millions of Dutch people today turned a page and said farewell to the politics of negativity, of hate, of endless 'no, we can't.'"
The popularity of Mr Jetten, 38, surged in the past month, as he campaigned on a promise to resolve a housing shortage, invest in education and tackle immigration concerns.
Mr Wilders, one of Europe's longest-serving populist leaders, is known for his anti-Islam stance and lives under constant protection because of death threats. He proposed denying all asylum requests – a move that would breach EU treaties – sending male Ukrainian refugees back to their homeland and halting development aid to finance energy and health care.
Mr Wilders led his party to a stunning first-place finish in the 2023 election and formed an all-conservative coalition, although his partners refused to endorse him as prime minister. He brought the government down in June over its refusal to adopt his hardline measures.
Coalition talks
With 76 seats needed to form a governing coalition in the Dutch parliament, at least four parties will be required. One scenario is a pact including D66, the conservative Christian Democrats, the centre-right VVD and the Greens-Labour party. However, building stable coalitions is tough and talks are expected to take months.
The centre-left combination of Green Left and the Labour Party lost five seats to end on 20 and leader Frans Timmermans, a former vice president of the European Commission, quit immediately. “It is time for me to take a step back and give the leadership ... to the next generation,” he said.
The Christian Democrats were big winners, gaining 14 seats to end on 19, polls showed. “What a fantastic result. We wouldn’t have dared to dream of this two years ago,” said party leader Henri Bontenbal.
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
SCHEDULE FOR SHOW COURTS
Centre Court - from 4pm (UAE time)
Angelique Kerber (1) v Irina Falconi
Martin Klizan v Novak Djokovic (2)
Alexandr Dolgopolov v Roger Federer (3)
Court One - from 4pm
Milos Raonic (6) v Jan-Lennard Struff
Karolina Pliskova (3) v Evgeniya Rodina
Dominic Thiem (8) v Vasek Pospisil
Court Two - from 2.30pm
Juan Martin Del Potro (29) v Thanasi Kokkinakis
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Jelena Jankovic
Jeremy Chardy v Tomas Berdych (11)
Ons Jabeur v Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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More on animal trafficking
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
More on Quran memorisation:
Results
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes (PA) Group 3 Dh175,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Aatebat Al Khalediah, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Dubai Avenue, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: My Catch, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile (TB) Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
