Dutch elections: ‘The arrogance and stupidity of power were punished’

Baudet said that he would not be “closing little deals in back rooms with Rutte”, and called for new parliamentary elections.

In absolute terms, the majority of votes went to the FvD, founded by Thierry Baudet in 2016 (14,4 percent, VVD: 13,8 percent). The Christian Democrats and GroenLinks (GreenLeft) each achieved nine seats. Geert Wilder’s Party for Freedom (PVV) lost almost half of its voters in comparison to 2015 and only received six instead of nine seats.

In his victory speech after the midnight result, Baudet said he would “act against the arrogance of power”. He emphasized that FvD was now one of the largest parties in the country, and that change has been set in motion. “Economic and political capitulation is coming to an end”, he told NOS.

Baudet criticised the established politicians. “They believe in nothing, but only worship one idol: climate change.”

The anti-immigration and climate change skeptic party of Baudet wants to sweep the Paris Climate Agreement off the table and reintroduce the possibility of binding referendums.

“We are being destroyed by the people who should be protecting us,” said Baudet in his speech, which was broadcast by the national news channel. He said they should be concerned about Dutch civilization, its art, music and prosperity. “The arrogance and stupidity of power was punished today.”

The public broadcasters and most of the classic media had waged a hate campaign against Baudet before the vote. On social media, comparisons were drawn with 1933 and 1939 by leftists. “Hatred has triumphed,” leftists complained. The media likened Baudet’s victory to that of Donald Trump in the US.

The day before the election, a cartoon with Baudet on a coffin appeared in a newspaper. And the national television networks cursed the forum’s potential voters as “people who hate blacks”.

But Baudet apparently suffered no harm from the hate campaigns directed at him and his party.

The winners of Wednesday’s election will not only fill their government seats at the provincial level, But they will also select the composition of the Eerste Kamer, the Dutch Senate. That will take place in May, with new members taking office on June 11.

PVV leader Geert Wilders complimented Baudet on his campaign, and emphasized that the “unique PVV sound” will continue to be heard in the Senate. “And six seats is not nothing.”

Selçuk Öztürk of the Turkish DENK said that his party was now entering the Senate for the first time. According to him, DENK will be the opposition against parties like FvD and PVV and their “xenophobic” ideas.