Dutch voters hit polls as immigration fears propel far right towards power

Right-wing narratives about immigration have made inroads in the Netherlands

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A protester wearing a flag as a cape poses for a photo in front of a banner bearing the colours of the Dutch flag and reading 'send them home' during an anti-immigration rally in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, October 12 [EPA]

(Al Jazeera) As the Netherlands gears up for a snap parliamentary election on October 29, less than halfway through parliament's usual four-year term following the collapse of the ruling coalition, the likelihood of another win for the country's far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) is mounting.

An outright win is next to impossible. The Netherlands has always had a coalition government formed by a minimum of two parties due to its proportional representation electoral system, under which seats in parliament are awarded to parties in proportion to the number of votes they win.

The PVV, headed by Geert Wilders, also won the most votes in the last election in November 2023. It then partnered with three other far-right parties - the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB), New Social Contract (NSC), and the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) - to form a coalition government.

But in June, PVV made a dramatic exit from the coalition government over a disagreement on immigration policy. PVV had wanted to introduce a stricter asylum policy that included closing borders to new asylum seekers and deporting dual nationals convicted of crimes, but the other parties demanded further discussions.

In a dramatic move, Wilders took to X to announce that the failure by other parties to agree to PVV's plans meant it would leave the coalition.

Coalition partners slammed this decision and accused Wilders of being driven by self-interest. VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz said at the time that Wilders "chooses his own ego and his own interests. I am astonished. He throws away the chance for a right-wing policy".