The People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy was likely to capture 33 of the 150 seats in Parliament — a loss of seven seats, but still far more than any other party.So the incumbent PM's party won the most votes, but far fewer than before. Wilders' party won more than before, but not a majority.
Mr. Wilders’s Party for Freedom was expected to finish second, with 20 seats (an increase of eight); and the right-leaning Christian Democratic Appeal and the left-leaning Democrats 66 were tied for third, with 19 each, the broadcaster reported.
The old media is spinning this as a loss for Wilders which, considering he was ahead in the polls until the last few weeks of the campaign, perhaps it was. On the other hand, his party is now stronger, the PM's party is now weaker, and many of the parties were forced to become more nationalistic to coopt some of his positions and cut their losses.
Germany's Merkel is obviously hoping that she, like Dutch PM Mark Rutte, will be able to hold onto power following the elections later this year. Germany, however, has had more immigrant-initiated violence and crime than has the Netherlands. She is right to worry.
Meanwhile, Breitbart calls Rutte's achievement "Pyrrhic," which feels about right to me. A victory offset by staggering losses; the sort of "victory" which was so hard-fought another like it would be fatal.
