🔗 Share this article Elections Underway in Holland as Surveys Point to Possible Repeat Victory for Firebrand Leader Geert Wilders The polls are open for parliamentary elections in Holland, with current polling data indicating that the far-right leader Geert Wilders and his PVV party may repeat their win the most seats, although analysts believe the party is unlikely of being part of the future coalition. Survey Results and Political Landscape The PVV, which in the last election achieved a shock first-place finish and established a multi-party all-conservative government that lasted barely a year, is currently slightly leading in the polls and is projected to win between 24 to 28 seats in the 150-seat house of representatives. However, the far-right party's support has dipped since the previous election, when it secured 37 parliamentary seats. All major parties have publicly ruled out forming a government with Wilders, who precipitated the collapse of the previous government in June over disagreements concerning his controversial immigration plans. Major Parties and Projections At the end of a election period focused on issues such as immigration, healthcare costs, and the country's severe housing shortage, the left-leaning GL/PvdA coalition, led by former European commissioner Frans Timmermans, is placed a close second, projected to win between 22 and 26 seats. Also performing well is the liberal-progressive Democrats 66, projected to boost its representation by almost five times to 21 to 25 seats, while the right-leaning CDA is anticipated to significantly increase its seat tally to between 18 to 22. Members of the previous government – which included the Freedom Party, liberal-conservative VVD, BBB, and NSC – are all forecast to lose seats, with several experiencing significant declines. Electoral System and Political Division Under the Netherlands' electoral system, securing just less than one percent of the national vote yields a party a seat in parliament. Among the 27 parties contesting the election – which include parties for the over-50s, youth parties, animal rights parties, for a universal basic income, and for sport – as many as 16 could enter parliament. This high degree of fragmentation ensures that no single party is ever likely to win a majority, and the Netherlands has been governed by coalitions – often including several groups in the last few administrations – for more than a century. Post-Election Scenarios Wilders has stated that "democracy will be dead" in the country if the PVV ends up as the biggest group yet is shut out of government. But, opponents and experts say that first place does not guarantee government participation and that any coalition with a parliamentary majority is a democratic outcome. While the election result is hard to predict and coalition talks could take months, political observers suggest that after the most radical administration in recent memory, the next Dutch cabinet is expected to be a inclusive coalition led by either the moderate left or moderate right. Voting Process Voting locations, including those in the miniature city Madurodam in The Hague and the Anne Frank museum in Amsterdam, began operations at 7:30 AM (6:30 GMT) and will conclude at 9pm. A usually accurate post-voting survey is expected shortly after closing time. After the vote, an official negotiator will explore potential governing alliances that could command a majority in parliament. Potential partners will then draft a governing pact for the next four years and must face a vote of confidence in parliament before assuming power.