TRANSCRIPT
The exit polls had put him out in front..
But the margin of Geert Wilders' triumph sent shockwaves through the Netherlands and wider Europe.
After 25 years in politics, it's vindication for Mr Wilders and his Freedom Party supporters.
“I've been in politics for 25 years now and this is the happiest day of my life so far in politics. We became the number one party by far. A lot of people, if you'd have asked them a year ago, would have called you mad and it happened today so I'm very proud, I'm very happy, and it brings a lot of feeling of responsibility.”
From the outset, the man who's vowed to ban mosques, the Quran and Islamic headscarves in government buildings, as well as describing Moroccan migrants as 'scum', set out his agenda.
“ The hope in the Netherlands is that people get their country back. That we make sure that the Netherlands is for the Dutch again. That we will limit the asylum tsunami and migration. That people will have more money in their wallets again, instead of spending millions on nonsense. That the Netherlands will be more secure again. That healthcare will be in order again.”
The result led to messages of congratulations from the European right-wing, including the Alternative for Germany party, which said ‘everywhere in Europe, citizens want political change’.
France's Marine Le Pen took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to write 'the hope for change remains alive in Europe'.
Hungary's Viktor Orban, also declared the 'winds of change are here'.
Frequently the target of death threats, Mr Wilders has been under police protection since 2004.
He visited Perth in 2015 to launch the Australian Liberty Alliance, at a secret location.
The Freedom Party has more than doubled its share of seats in the parliament, but as its leader said after the election, he will still need to enter coalition talks to secure a majority.
“I think that people would not understand and not accept either, that if the biggest winner of the elections would not have an important role in that coalition. So we all have to be reasonable, we have to be responsible, we have to compromise on many issues to make sure that those votes are getting worth their money.”
The second-placed Green-Labour coalition, led by former European Commissioner for Climate Action, Frans Timmermans, has already ruled out negotiating with the Freedom Party.
“ I don't need to tell you supporters this but I am saying it to the journalists here present: we will never join a coalition with a party that excludes Dutch people.”
That leaves the third-placed VVD and fourth-placed New Social Contract to negotiate a possible right-wing coalition.
That prospect could still be months away.
