Tweede Kamer decides to recount votes in Tilburg

The Tweede Kamer will meet unexpectedly on Saturday to decide on a possible recount of the votes cast in the parliamentary elections. The reason for this is "inexplicable counting discrepancies" in four polling stations in Tilburg. The difference in the count is more than 15 votes. This has never happened before in the recent history of parliament, according to NOS.

There will therefore be no total recount of all votes cast in the elections, reports VVD MP Ulysse Ellian on X. He is chairman of the Committee for the Verification of Credentials.

A short meeting is planned to vote on a recount. A valid vote requires the presence of at least 76 MPs, the so-called quorum. This is the old composition of the Tweede Kamer. The new Tweede Kamer will be seated next week.

The recount in Tilburg will take place on Saturday, under the watchful eye of a number of MPs. The recount will not affect the departure of the old Kamer or the installation of the new Tweede Kamer this week, according to a spokesperson for the Tweede Kamer. The Electoral Council may meet on Monday if the recount requires a minor change in the result. According to NOS, the probability that the final election result will change after the recount is practically zero. However, the Tweede Kamer wants to apply the new rules.

Although there is minimal chance that the distribution of seats will change, chairman of the committee and VVD MP Ulysse Ellian believes the recount is important for the "reliability and verifiability" of the elections.

It could be particularly exciting for D66 and the SP. The D66 has lost a remaining seat to the Socialists due to a difference of 160 votes. D66 member Tjeerd de Groot could then gain another seat in the chamber, probably at the expense of SP member Michiel van Nispen.

Shortly before the vote, Pieter Omtzigt was surprised that the Tilburg polling stations had not decided on a recount themselves. "Then a red light should actually come on." The Tweede Kamer has agreed to his proposal to have an external party investigate whether the process could have been improved.