Dutch Parliamentary Election Delivers a Victory for the Status Quo

Following his March 17 victory, Mark Rutte will be the longest-serving prime minister in Dutch history. (Wikimedia)

Despite a tumultuous election year, the Netherlands’ parliamentary electorate delivered a victory for the political status quo on March 17. 

Mark Rutte, who has served as prime minister since 2010, will officially continue to lead the country for at least another four years. Nicknamed “Teflon Mark” for his resiliency, Rutte will now be the longest-serving prime minister in Dutch history. The party of incumbent prime minister Mark Rutte, Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD), won 34 out of 150 seats, the most of any party. At the same time, a party must hold at least 76 seats to be able to form a government, meaning  that VVD must form a coalition with other parties of their choice to control the government. VVD espouses neoliberal ideologies, with a focus on fostering free-market capitalism and protecting civil liberties. 

Another big victor that night was the Democraten 66, a socially liberal party whose platform advertises education reform, stronger EU relations, and improving environmental protections. In a viral victory video, D66 leader Sigrid Kaag danced on a table as the election results came in. D66 gained five seats in the March 17 election, becoming the second-largest party in the parliament after VVD. D66’s primary campaign slogan was “het is tijd voor nieuw leiderschap” — it is time for new leadership. Kaag, a former diplomat, positioned her intellect, experience, and bold personality at the forefront of the campaign’s advertising. The party’s success was widely attributed to this strategy. 

 According to Political Science Professor Kees Aarts from the University of Groningen, D66 will hold “the strongest progressive voice” in the ruling coalition. Similarly, the D66 are stalwart supporters of the EU, so their strong showing will likely push the Netherlands to take a more active approach in European affairs. 

While centrist parties will possess the most influence in the newly-elected Dutch  parliament, a notable ascendent party is the far-right Forum voor Democratie (FvD). Formed in 2016, the novel political party won a total of eight seats, up from two in 2017. FvD advocates for restricting immigration, undoing environmental regulations, and removing the Netherlands from the EU. 

FvD is also vocally opposed to restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Despite  Netherlands’ strict lockdown rules for the past several months, FvD leader Thierry Baudet held packed campaign rallies without adequate social distancing. It is possible that Baudet’s refusal to comply with the COVID-19 restrictions could result in his prosecution, thereby weakening the FvD’s leadership and general credibility. 

Several single-issue parties are also ascending in Dutch politics, joining the parliament for the first time. Volt, a pro-EU party, won three seats; Bij1, an anti-racist party, won one seat; and BoerBurgerBeweging, a farmer-led party focusing on agrarian policy, won one seat. 

The election also saw a defeat for the far-left. Two of the biggest leftist voices in parliament, the Socialistische Partij and GroenLinks, lost eleven seats combined. In the next parliament, leftist parties will hold only twenty-six seats, below the twenty-eight that far-right parties will control.

Ultimately, VVD’s victory reflects the country’s appetite for stable leadership in a political climate overwhelmed by the COVID-19 crisis. In a time of turmoil, the Netherlands chose familiar leadership to guide the way. While the government will likely shift left on certain policy issues due to D66’s strong showing, there will not be substantial change.