D66 leads PVV by 15,150 votes as ballot count continues; Parties to meet Tuesday

Centrist political party D66 maintained a lead of about 15,155 votes over far-right rivals PVV in the race to become the largest party in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Parliament. Both parties were still on track to hold 26 of the 150 seats up for grabs. Leaders from all parties are set to meet on Tuesday to discuss the election results, and to appoint a scout who can begin talks about to find a path towards a coalition government.

D66 took a big leap forward as more ballots were counted in Amsterdam. With about 99.7 percent of votes counted nationally, D66 tabulated 1,763,615 ballots versus 1,748,460 for the PVV, according to data from the ANP Election Service, released in the middle of the afternoon.

By 2 p.m., the capital had tallied most of the votes cast in the city. D66 was projected to take about 146,000 votes in Amsterdam, compared to 42,000 for the PVV. Roughly 71 percent of the 606,800 eligible voters showed up at the polls in Amsterdam.

But votes also need to be tabulated in Venray, Limburg, where a fire at the Town Hall forced an evacuation. The municipality was a PVV stronghold in 2023, with roughly 28 percent voting for the party of Geert Wilders, who is from Venlo, a short drive away. D66 took fewer than 6 percent of the votes in Venray in 2023, but expected to perform better as the centrists lured voters away from rivals across the political spectrum.

Mayor Michiel Uitdehaag said Thursday about 24,000 ballots need to be counted, with results expected on Thursday. The ballots are being counted and checked in an undamaged section of the town hall.

The fire was likely caused by a short circuit in a utility closet. “It is completely destroyed,” said Uitdehaag. The fire department is investigating the cause, but the mayor sees no signs of deliberate action. The blaze affected public areas of the town hall, including the council chamber.

Additionally, roughly 135,000 Dutch people abroad requested a ballot for the election this week. The vote count is not likely to be completed before Monday evening, with ballots tabulated by the municipality of The Hague. These votes can also be decisive in deciding which party emerges as the largest in the Netherlands.

Workers were busy counting the ballots at the World Forum. Ballots forwarded by embassies and consulates abroad must arrive by Monday. Those who sent their ballots to The Hague by post had to ensure they were received by 3 p.m. on the day of the election.

The Hague had received more than 84,500 votes by mail on Wednesday afternoon. Over 136,000 Dutch citizens living abroad are eligible to vote, and The Hague expects approximately 90,000 of them to cast their ballot, which would equate to a 66 percent turnout rate.

The official results of the ballots from voters abroad will be determined on Tuesday, but The Hague may be able to announce figures the evening before. Those voters favored GroenLinks-PvdA last time. Of that group, 10.5 percent voted for D66 and 6.3 percent for PVV.

In any case, Tweede Kamer President and PVV member Martin Bosma will receive all the party leaders on Tuesday. The meeting has been scheduled for after the weekend, as it is expected that only then will it be fully clear which party received the most votes.

The gathering had initially been expected on Friday. After Wilders pressed to delay the meeting, Jetten agreed in anticipation of a final vote count.

Typically, the largest party is afforded the opportunity to nominate a representative to begin coalition talks. This scout then consults with all party leaders to explore potential compromises, strengths, and weaknesses.

The scout submits a report, which is debated within a week of the new membership of the Tweede Kamer taking office. The group will be installed on Wednesday, November 12.