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| Version 13 | Version 14 |
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| Dutch election: Mark Rutte's VVD party takes lead as vote count starts – live | Dutch election: Mark Rutte's VVD party takes lead as vote count starts – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 2.18am GMT | |
| 02:18 | |
| Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte says the election result, in which his VVD party comfortably beat the anti-Islam Freedom party of Geert Wilders, shows the people have said no to “the wrong side of populism”. | |
| 2.03am GMT | 2.03am GMT |
| 02:03 | 02:03 |
| Who could form a coalition? | Who could form a coalition? |
| As the leader of the party with the greatest vote share, Mark Rutte will be given the first chance to form a government. He’s likely to need three other parties to join with his VVD party to get the 76-seat majority needed in the 150-seat parliament. | As the leader of the party with the greatest vote share, Mark Rutte will be given the first chance to form a government. He’s likely to need three other parties to join with his VVD party to get the 76-seat majority needed in the 150-seat parliament. |
| Predictions based on votes counted so far and exit polls put VVD on an estimated 31 seats. With the Christian Democrats and Democrats 66 looking set for 19 seats each, they are obvious first ports of call for Rutte. But that could add up to just 69 seats, still short of a majority. | Predictions based on votes counted so far and exit polls put VVD on an estimated 31 seats. With the Christian Democrats and Democrats 66 looking set for 19 seats each, they are obvious first ports of call for Rutte. But that could add up to just 69 seats, still short of a majority. |
| Geert Wilders, whose Freedom party (PVV) is also on course for 19 MPs, is not expected to be drawn into negotiations, despite announcing his willingness overnight. All major parties have said they would not work with the far-right party. | Geert Wilders, whose Freedom party (PVV) is also on course for 19 MPs, is not expected to be drawn into negotiations, despite announcing his willingness overnight. All major parties have said they would not work with the far-right party. |
| Rutte’s coalition partner till now, the social democratic Labour party (PvdA), has had a disastrous election, predicted to slump from 38 seats to just nine. | Rutte’s coalition partner till now, the social democratic Labour party (PvdA), has had a disastrous election, predicted to slump from 38 seats to just nine. |
| Into the gap could come GreenLeft and its young leader Jesse Klaver. With a projected 16 seats, the party could become kingmaker in the new parliament. | Into the gap could come GreenLeft and its young leader Jesse Klaver. With a projected 16 seats, the party could become kingmaker in the new parliament. |
| But don’t expect a speedy settling: talks on forming a coalition could take months. | But don’t expect a speedy settling: talks on forming a coalition could take months. |
| 1.38am GMT | 1.38am GMT |
| 01:38 | 01:38 |
| Results with 75% of vote counted | Results with 75% of vote counted |
| It’s notable that the social democratic Labour party (PvdA), Rutte’s outgoing coalition partner, has nosedived off the bottom of the listing. It’s currently forecast to slump to a historic low of nine seats from 38 in the current parliament. | It’s notable that the social democratic Labour party (PvdA), Rutte’s outgoing coalition partner, has nosedived off the bottom of the listing. It’s currently forecast to slump to a historic low of nine seats from 38 in the current parliament. |
| Netherlands (75% counted):VVD-ALDE: 21.3%PVV-ENF 13.1%CDA-EPP 12.5%D66-ALDE 12%SP-LEFT 9.3%GL-G/EFA 9%#DutchElections #TK17 pic.twitter.com/Oyo7fsNFlz | Netherlands (75% counted):VVD-ALDE: 21.3%PVV-ENF 13.1%CDA-EPP 12.5%D66-ALDE 12%SP-LEFT 9.3%GL-G/EFA 9%#DutchElections #TK17 pic.twitter.com/Oyo7fsNFlz |
| 1.14am GMT | 1.14am GMT |
| 01:14 | 01:14 |
| Jon Henley | Jon Henley |
| The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, and his liberal VVD party appear to have comfortably beaten the anti-Islam Freedom party of Geert Wilders to become the largest in the new parliament. | The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, and his liberal VVD party appear to have comfortably beaten the anti-Islam Freedom party of Geert Wilders to become the largest in the new parliament. |
| “Our message to the Netherlands – that we will hold our course, and keep this country safe, stable and prosperous, got through,” Rutte told a cheering crowd of supporters at the VVD’s election night party. | “Our message to the Netherlands – that we will hold our course, and keep this country safe, stable and prosperous, got through,” Rutte told a cheering crowd of supporters at the VVD’s election night party. |
| The eyes of Europe had been on the vote, he added. “Many European colleagues have called me this evening: this was an evening when after Brexit and Trump, the Netherlands said ‘Stop’ to the wrong sort of populism.” | The eyes of Europe had been on the vote, he added. “Many European colleagues have called me this evening: this was an evening when after Brexit and Trump, the Netherlands said ‘Stop’ to the wrong sort of populism.” |
| Wilders tweeted that since the VVD had lost seats and the PVV had gained, his party was “among the winners”, adding: “If all the losers like the VVD form a government, we need to have a strong opposition of winners like the PVV.” | Wilders tweeted that since the VVD had lost seats and the PVV had gained, his party was “among the winners”, adding: “If all the losers like the VVD form a government, we need to have a strong opposition of winners like the PVV.” |
| The leftwing environmentalists of GreenLeft looked the big winners of the night, as the party was forecast to quadruple its number of MPs to 16. But the social democratic Labour party (PvdA), Rutte’s outgoing coalition partner, was forecast to slump to a historic low of nine seats from 38 in the current parliament. | The leftwing environmentalists of GreenLeft looked the big winners of the night, as the party was forecast to quadruple its number of MPs to 16. But the social democratic Labour party (PvdA), Rutte’s outgoing coalition partner, was forecast to slump to a historic low of nine seats from 38 in the current parliament. |
| The projected result would leave Rutte with a choice of coalition options, although coalition-building – with four parties likely to be needed – could take months: the average in the Netherlands is three months and the record more than 200 days. | The projected result would leave Rutte with a choice of coalition options, although coalition-building – with four parties likely to be needed – could take months: the average in the Netherlands is three months and the record more than 200 days. |
| 1.01am GMT | 1.01am GMT |
| 01:01 | 01:01 |
| Juncker: 'A vote against extremists' | Juncker: 'A vote against extremists' |
| Margaritis Schinas, spokesperson for the EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, says Juncker has spoken to the Netherlands’ incumbent PM, Mark Rutte, congratulating him on his “clear victory”: | Margaritis Schinas, spokesperson for the EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, says Juncker has spoken to the Netherlands’ incumbent PM, Mark Rutte, congratulating him on his “clear victory”: |
| A vote for Europe, a vote against extremists. | A vote for Europe, a vote against extremists. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.01am GMT | at 1.01am GMT |
| 12.52am GMT | 12.52am GMT |
| 00:52 | 00:52 |
| With 50% of votes counted, here’s how it stands, with VVD still holding a convincing lead: | With 50% of votes counted, here’s how it stands, with VVD still holding a convincing lead: |
| Netherlands (50% counted):VVD-ALDE: 21.5%PVV-ENF 13%CDA-EPP 12.5%D66-ALDE 11.9%GL-G/EFA 9.3%SP-LEFT 9.3%#DutchElections #TK17 pic.twitter.com/zZQ2zYnSPQ | Netherlands (50% counted):VVD-ALDE: 21.5%PVV-ENF 13%CDA-EPP 12.5%D66-ALDE 11.9%GL-G/EFA 9.3%SP-LEFT 9.3%#DutchElections #TK17 pic.twitter.com/zZQ2zYnSPQ |
| 12.42am GMT | 12.42am GMT |
| 00:42 | 00:42 |
| French president François Hollande is congratulating Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for his election success and his “clear victory against extremism”, Associated Press reports: | French president François Hollande is congratulating Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for his election success and his “clear victory against extremism”, Associated Press reports: |
| After Rutte’s party soundly beat the party of anti-immigrant populist Geert Wilders, Hollande said in a statement early Thursday: | After Rutte’s party soundly beat the party of anti-immigrant populist Geert Wilders, Hollande said in a statement early Thursday: |
| The values of openness, respect for others, and a faith in Europe’s future are the only true response to the nationalist impulses and isolationism that are shaking the world.” | The values of openness, respect for others, and a faith in Europe’s future are the only true response to the nationalist impulses and isolationism that are shaking the world.” |
| France is facing a presidential election starting next month in which far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who wants to leave the European Union and sharply curb immigration, is expected to make a strong showing. | France is facing a presidential election starting next month in which far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who wants to leave the European Union and sharply curb immigration, is expected to make a strong showing. |
| Both Rutte and Wilders had painted Wednesday’s Dutch election as a battle between established politics and populist ideas. | Both Rutte and Wilders had painted Wednesday’s Dutch election as a battle between established politics and populist ideas. |
| French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said the result was good for a “stronger Europe”: | French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said the result was good for a “stronger Europe”: |
| Félicitations aux Néerlandais d'avoir enrayé la montée de l'extrême droite. Volonté de travailler à une Europe plus forte. | Félicitations aux Néerlandais d'avoir enrayé la montée de l'extrême droite. Volonté de travailler à une Europe plus forte. |
| 12.35am GMT | 12.35am GMT |
| 00:35 | 00:35 |
| Geert Wilders has left the building: | Geert Wilders has left the building: |
| Dat was Wilders #TK17 pic.twitter.com/el8HbLTI3E | Dat was Wilders #TK17 pic.twitter.com/el8HbLTI3E |
| 12.20am GMT | 12.20am GMT |
| 00:20 | 00:20 |
| Wilders: 'We're among the winners' | Wilders: 'We're among the winners' |
| Geert Wilders – whose far-right PVV has not performed as well as he, or polls, expected – has said he would be willing to enter coalition talks. (All main parties have said they will not go into coalition with PVV, and it currently doesn’t look as if the first-placed VVD will need Wilders.) | Geert Wilders – whose far-right PVV has not performed as well as he, or polls, expected – has said he would be willing to enter coalition talks. (All main parties have said they will not go into coalition with PVV, and it currently doesn’t look as if the first-placed VVD will need Wilders.) |
| Geert Wilders says he is ready to join a coalition. But if that does not happen, 'we will form a strong opposition over the next five years' | Geert Wilders says he is ready to join a coalition. But if that does not happen, 'we will form a strong opposition over the next five years' |
| Wilders: 'I'd preferred to have been the winner of the elections, but the VVD have lost 10 seats and we're among the winners in second.' | Wilders: 'I'd preferred to have been the winner of the elections, but the VVD have lost 10 seats and we're among the winners in second.' |
| Wilders calls Rutte's comments on 'the wrong sort of populism' 'very worrying, as if populists are semi-Nazis'. | Wilders calls Rutte's comments on 'the wrong sort of populism' 'very worrying, as if populists are semi-Nazis'. |
| Wilders: 'If all the losers like the VVD form a government, we need to have a strong opposition of winners like the PVV.' | Wilders: 'If all the losers like the VVD form a government, we need to have a strong opposition of winners like the PVV.' |
| 12.13am GMT | 12.13am GMT |
| 00:13 | 00:13 |
| With 28% of votes counted, here’s how the projection of seats won stands: | With 28% of votes counted, here’s how the projection of seats won stands: |
| VVD 32 seats | VVD 32 seats |
| Christian Democrats 20 | Christian Democrats 20 |
| PVV (Wilders’ Freedom party) 19 | PVV (Wilders’ Freedom party) 19 |
| Democrats 66 18 | Democrats 66 18 |
| GreenLeft 14 | GreenLeft 14 |
| SP 14 | SP 14 |
| PvdA (Labour) 10 | PvdA (Labour) 10 |