BREAKING: Far-right populist leader Geert Wilders projected to win Dutch national election

Populist right-wing leader Geert Wilders is leading the Dutch election, according to exit polls presented by IPSOS. 

The PVV leader, who is running on an anti-immigration ticket, is projected to snag 35 of the 150-seat Dutch parliament. 

Coming in second is the GL/PvdA led by Frans Timmermans with 25 seats. The VVD is looking at 24. Omtzigt and his new party NSC now stand at 20. 

It’s an exit poll, so the final results can differ, but the difference is expected to be two seats at most.

That makes it virtually certain that Wilders, whom Time Magazine crowned “The Dutch Trump”, will come out on top.

Will Wilders become the Dutch prime minister?

That remains to be seen. Dutch national politics involve so many parties that coalitions are virtually always required because it’s difficult for a single party to earn a full majority. 

That means for Wilders to become prime minister, he would need to successfully form a coalition with other big parties, like the VVD and NSC. 

Here’s the saving grace: both the VVD and the NSC have already indicated they’re not keen on forming a coalition. 

Better yet, the VVD has already said they don’t want want to support Wilders as PM.

When do we know more about the Dutch election results?

Official results will be announced tomorrow, so the seats could shift a bit. 

However, Wilders still needs to create a functioning coalition with at least 75 seats in parliament. Traditionally, that’s a process that takes months. 

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