Anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders is forced to abandon his bid to become Prime Minister of the Netherlands despite his dramatic election victory after parties refused to form a coalition with him

Far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders has given up his bid to become the Netherlands’ next prime minister, despite his party’s dramatic election victory in November.

Wilders, who has run on an extreme right-wing and anti-Islam platform with his Freedom Party (PVV), wrote in a post on X on Wednesday evening: ‘I can only become Prime Minister if ALL parties in the coalition support it. That was not the case.

‘I would like a right-wing cabinet. Less asylum and immigration. Dutch comes first. The love for my country and voter is great and more important than my own position.’

Wilders’ announcement came as many in the Netherlands were waiting for a report on the ongoing coalition talks. amid speculation about a breakthrough that could result in a technocratic government.

The man overseeing negotiations between the political parties, Kim Putters, said the feuding sides were ready to take the “next step” after two days of “good and intense” talks at an estate.

Dutch party leaders have remained tight-lipped during the process, but NOS reported that the most likely outcome for Thursday’s report was an “extra-parliamentary” or technocratic cabinet.

It is unclear exactly what form this could take, but it is expected that four party leaders will serve as MPs.

Parties would appoint the members of the cabinet, but according to media reports these could come from ‘ordinary’ party members or even from outside politics.

Wilders stunned the Netherlands and Europe with a convincing victory in the November elections, which put him in pole position to lead coalition negotiations.

Unlike, for example, Great Britain, France or the United States, the Netherlands has a highly fragmented political system, meaning that no party is strong enough to govern on its own.

The far-right leader’s Freedom Party (PVV) therefore started talks with the center-right liberal VVD, the farmers’ party BBB and a new party, the New Social Contract (NSC).

The NSC, led by anti-corruption champion Pieter Omtzigt, was the other new factor in the elections, winning twenty seats and making it indispensable in any coalition.

But almost immediately after the PVV’s victory in November, tensions flared between political parties, with the NSC in particular raising questions about the PVV’s far-right manifesto.

The PVV manifesto calls, among other things, for a ban on mosques, the Koran and Islamic headscarves. The country also wants a binding referendum on a ‘Nexit’: the Netherlands is leaving the European Union.

In February, Omtzigt abruptly stopped coalition talks, throwing the process into chaos and making the differences between his party and the PVV ‘too big’ to bridge.

The Algemeen Dagblad described the conversations at the time as a ‘slow motion disaster’ with ‘poison, mutual sharpshooting, gossip’.

A new person, known in the Netherlands as an ‘informant’, was appointed to monitor the conversations and this appears to have broken the deadlock.

The new informant, Putters, managed to get the four party leaders back to the negotiating table, with talks reportedly moving towards a technocratic government.

The clock is ticking for the Netherlands to find a prime minister as it is widely expected that the man holding the fort, Mark Rutte, will become the new Secretary General of NATO.

Since the elections, support for the PVV has only increased, surveys show, as voters express frustration with the slow pace of talks.

‘Don’t forget: one day I will become Prime Minister of the Netherlands. With the support of even more Dutch people,” said Wilders.

‘If not tomorrow, then the day after tomorrow. Because the voices of millions of Dutch people will be heard!’