Dutch Election Tightens as Geert Wilders Faces Declining Support

Mon Dec 01 2025 00:35:57 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a closely contested Dutch election, Geert Wilders' Freedom party confronts significant challenges as voter support wanes. Key issues such as the housing crisis and rising living costs dominate the electoral landscape.

Geert Wilders, leader of the anti-Islam Freedom party, faces a rocky path in the upcoming Dutch elections with declining support and a united front against his party from rivals. Housing shortages and escalating costs of living are significant voter concerns, and while Wilders' party may lead the vote, forming a new government remains uncertain. The outcome may swing towards center-left or center-right parties as over one-third of voters remain undecided.

Geert Wilders' anti-Islam Freedom party is facing a tight race in Wednesday's Dutch election, and even if he wins the vote, his hopes of forming a new government appear minimal.

Wilders was the clear winner last time Dutch voters went to the polls in November 2023, but final opinion polls hours before the vote suggest a fall in his support.

Dutch voters are grappling with a series of crises, from a chronic housing shortage to overcrowded asylum centers. The cost of living is rising with sky-high rents and healthcare costs.

Unlike last time, Wilders' rivals are refusing to work with him after he brought down his own coalition government last June.

Voting at most of the country's more than 10,000 polling stations starts at 07:30 local time (06:30 GMT) on Wednesday and ends at 21:00 (20:00 GMT).

Commentators believe it is more important who comes second in the vote than first, as it could decide who will form the next government.

Even if Wilders' party comes top, the next Dutch government is more likely to come from the centre-left or centre-right.

The race is wide open, and more than a third of Dutch voters were seen as undecided on the eve of the election.

As many as 15 parties are set to win a share of parliament's 150 seats, but opinion polls suggest four will stand out. Apart from Wilders' PVV, there is GreenLeft-Labour under ex-EU top official Frans Timmermans, Rob Jetten's liberal D66, and the centre-right Christian Democrats of Henri Bontenbal.

For almost half of Dutch voters, the housing crisis is top priority, with a shortage of almost 400,000 homes, in a population of 18 million.

Housing has taken centre stage in TV debates ahead of Wednesday's vote, and while Wilders has blamed the crisis on migration, others point to a rise in single-person households and planning gridlock.

Most of the parties have vowed to tackle the issue head-on. Frans Timmermans promises at least 100,000 new homes per year if his party takes office, while Rob Jetten of the liberals says the solution lies in building on 1% of agricultural land.

Wilders faces a tough challenge ahead of the election, needing to maintain support from a diverse voter base while managing various crises facing the Netherlands.