PREVIEW

The Netherlands Poised to Elect Its Youngest and First Openly Gay Prime Minister as Geert Wilders’ Far-Right Party Suffers Defeat. The Netherlands is poised to elect its youngest and first openly gay prime minister after centrist leader Rob Jetten pulled ahead in national elections, dealing a blow to far-right politician Geert Wilders. Jetten’s D66 party was projected to win 27 of the 150 parliamentary seats, narrowly surpassing Wilders’ Freedom Party, which was expected to take 25, according to an Ipsos exit poll. The 38-year-old Jetten campaigned on tackling housing shortages, boosting education, and managing immigration, while reaffirming support for Ukraine, NATO, and the EU. Wilders, known for his anti-Islam rhetoric, triggered the election by collapsing the government in June after his asylum demands were rejected. “I regret the loss, but it’s not as if we were wiped off the map,” Wilders said, congratulating Jetten on his projected victory. Jetten told supporters, “We’ve shown the world that it’s possible to beat populist and extreme right movements.” He now faces complex coalition talks, as at least four parties will be needed to reach the 76-seat majority required to govern. A likely coalition could unite D66 with the Christian Democrats, centre-right VVD, and the Greens-Labour alliance.
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