Dutch centrist party D66 wins narrow victory over far right

The centrist Democrats 66 (D66) party narrowly won the Dutch elections, defeating the far-right Party for Freedom led by Geert Wilders. Mail-in ballots gave D66 a slight edge, earning it the first chance to form a new government.

Source The New York Times

Party leader Rob Jetten, 38, said he aims to build a “stable and ambitious coalition,” but with only 26 out of 150 seats, he will need to partner with at least three other parties to reach a majority. Coalition talks are expected to take months.

The election marked a victory for the political center and a setback for Mr. Wilders, who had withdrawn from the previous coalition. Although far-right parties maintained similar numbers overall, the results showed the Netherlands remains politically divided.