Although controversial right-wing politician Geert Wilders won 37 out of 150 seats during the 2023 Dutch elections, he announced on Wednesday that he will not be the next prime minister.
Some were happy about this news, others were frustrated — but no matter which side you’re on, one thing is certain: you’re wondering who will become the next Dutch leader.
And while this question can’t be answered with certainty quite yet, there’s definitely some speculation going around about just who will claim his place. 👇
Wilders was elected, how come he won’t be PM?
It’s important to know that during the Dutch elections, the people don’t elect the prime minister; they elect the House of Representatives (De Tweede Kamer).
From there, a prime minister is chosen, but Wilders didn’t get the support of all the other parties in the coalition.
The search for a new candidate
All party leaders in the coalition have agreed to stay in parliament rather than take ministerial posts, putting The Hague in the rather extraordinary situation of having to look for another candidate.
It’s currently up to the four parties — Wilders’ PVV, the liberal VVD, the farmers’ party BBB, and the centre-right NSC — to agree on a person to take on the role of prime minister.
To get there, political reporter Frits Wester tells RTL Nieuws, they will each have to “come up with suggestions for a person to whom they entrust this process and the leadership.”
It is likely that they will seek a candidate with a centre-right profile, whose views and policies are acceptable to all parties in the coalition.
Who could it be?
While some names are already floating around in The Hague, it’s important to note that it may take a while before a new prime minister candidate is chosen.
Normally it would be quite possible that the prime minister will be someone from Wilder’s party, PVV. However, this seems very unlikely due to the lack of experienced and qualified politicians in the PVV — besides Wilders himself.
The only party with significant experience in government is the VVD.
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According to various news sources, some names that keep popping up include Johan Remkes (former deputy prime minister, VVD) and Ronald Plasterk (former minister of education, PvdA).
Some people also hope government scout Kim Putters will take the role, but he has repeatedly stressed that he won’t.
How do you feel about the news that Wilders won’t be prime minister? Share your thoughts in the comments.
