Dutch election points to return to political centre
Dutch election signals a return to the political centre, with voters seeking practical solutions both at home and across Europe. Bernard Steunenberg, Professor of Public Administration, cautions that losses for the PVV, the party of Geert Wilders, do not mean the far right has been defeated.
With nearly all votes counted, the Dutch elections have ended in a dead heat between D66 and Geert Wilders’ PVV. Steunenberg says the result marks ‘a clear return to the political centre’, as voters favour practical policies over a narrow focus on migration. ‘It completely changes the political landscape in the Netherlands,’ he explains. ‘Parties in the middle have either gained ground or at least not lost any, while the Wilders party – which has been quite dominant over the past two years – is losing a substantial number of seats.’
Although the PVV remains one of the larger parties, Steunenberg notes that its single-issue focus on migration has limited appeal. ‘A positive, forward-looking programme that deals with a wide range of issues is far more attractive to voters than a narrow one claiming migration is the source of all problems,’ he says. Steunenberg adds that the outcome shows far-right movements can be challenged and that Dutch voters are signalling a shift towards pragmatic, solution-oriented governance.
Read the full article on the website of Radio France Internationale.