Marit MAIJ

Head of the Dutch S&D Delegation in the European Parliament and vice-chair of the Intergroup on fighting against poverty

It is important to draw lessons from the election results in the Netherlands. The results for GroenLinks-PvdA were not what we campaigned and hoped for. But we must move forward – and with the amazing movement we have built, we can. 

On election day, I arrived at The Hague’s train station at seven in the morning to hand out flyers to the hurrying passing people – a last attempt to reach the undecided voters. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of volunteers who had turned up at that early hour. It gave me a sense of belonging to something larger. It was the same feeling I felt during the Red Line protests, when around 250,000 people took to the streets to protest against the genocide in Gaza – proof of how much energy and engagement can be mobilised when there is a clear purpose and a hopeful narrative. To know that we are part of a broader movement, surrounded by so many allies, gives strength and optimism.

In that same spirit, I stood at the election night gathering in Rotterdam – hopeful and convinced that we had given it our all. The result, which saw us lose five seats in the Dutch House of Representatives, was a hard blow. Not only for the politicians and the campaign team, but more so for Dutch society, which longs for fair solutions. Fair solutions to the housing crisis, to the growing gap between rich and poor, nationally and internationally, to the erosion of social security, and to the urgent challenge of global warming. I remain convinced that we can provide the necessary solutions.

Many voters cast their ballots strategically – choosing the party they believed most likely to defeat Geert Wilders, leader of the far-right PVV, who governed in coalition with centre-right parties the past year and dragged the country into stagnation. More voters considered the young, optimistic Rob Jetten of D66 the stronger contender over our Frans Timmermans, resulting in the democratic liberals capturing votes that would otherwise have gone to us. D66 had their best result ever, and Frans gracefully congratulated them immediately after the first polling results.  

Frans Timmermans had to campaign in an environment in which he was constantly perniciously attacked by far-right trolls and political opponents. With his departure, the Netherlands loses yet another experienced and internationally respected progressive voice. Before him, the experienced Sigrid Kaag, Jetten’s predecessor at D66, had stepped down after a similar toxic campaign marked by personal attacks. 

Currently, the media landscape in the Netherlands is predominantly right-wing-leaning, and progressive themes struggle to attract sustained attention. When issues such as housing, social security, or poverty are debated, migration is always part of the discussion. Right-wing parties have proven remarkably effective at mobilising feelings of discontent, fear and frustration. Both in the media and online. Hope, by contrast, is less spectacular and takes time to take root – qualities that are often at odds with the tempo of a modern campaign.

D66 did, however, succeed in breaking through with an optimistic message, but only by deliberately moving closer to the right. In this way, they succeeded in attracting voters from a broader political spectrum. 

We must admit we struggled to frame the debate on our own terms. The core of a strong left-wing narrative should be about a fair economy and a society that prioritises public services: better healthcare, more affordable housing and social security for all. We must carefully assess how to be more proactive when shaping our own story.

The European dimension

In European circles, the Netherlands is often seen as a political barometer. The rise of the far-right party of Geert Wilders in 2023 was an early warning signal of the broader surge of the radical right across Europe.

That Wilders lost considerable ground in the most recent Dutch election might appear to be a victory. Yet a closer look shows that the far right has not weakened – it has merely fragmented. For the fourth consecutive election, left-wing parties have lost seats in the Dutch parliament. Today, less than one quarter of the members of parliament represent the left.

Since the 2023 election, the Netherlands has lost ground and influence in Europe. A new coalition government formed by Dutch traditional pro-European parties could quickly restore the Netherlands’ influential position at the Brussels negotiating tables. The key question is whether GroenLinks-PvdA will be part of that coalition. If GroenLinks-PvdA joins the coalition, the Netherlands would once again lean towards strong European cooperation: advocating for joint investment in defence, a common migration policy and EU enlargement – precisely the issues that will prevail in Brussels in the coming years. There is also a possibility of a coalition with centre-right parties – D66, VVD and CDA – and one with the radical right parties, JA21. This will change the pro-European tone considerably.   

The GroenLinks–PvdA movement represents more than the number of votes it received in this election. It is a movement that, in an era of fragmentation, chooses cooperation. With more than 100,000 members, this movement is easily the largest political party in our country in terms of membership. It is also the movement with the most volunteers, a movement that connects NGOs, labour unions, civil society organisations and sustainable entrepreneurs from all over the country. A party with numerous experienced, passionate and charismatic politicians who swim against the tide in the name of fairness, solidarity and equality. That is the foundation. This is the legacy we have built over the past years – and it stands strong today.

Photo credits: Shutterstock.com/Dutchmen Photography