There is no ‘absolute’ winner in Dutch general elections as the three leading parties together received less than half of the votes. The  situation is not an easy one for forming a functional coalition government. Mark Rutte is not new to Dutch politics, subsequently he is expected to carry on the task of creating a coalition, but he needs the support of at least three partners to achieve a majority, meaning they will have to patch the differences over taxes, healthcare, and the other issues sensitive to their retrospective electorates. In view of these difficulties  the Netherlands enters an extended period of uncertainty, when neither of political forces is appealing enough to the majority of the citizens, and none of the political party can take a lead, without sacrificing a chunk of their integrity.

In this blurred atmosphere the so-called ‘victory’ of  the centre-right Mark Rutte (VVD), as much as the ‘loss’ of the right, or so-called ‘populist’  Geert Wilders (PVV) are equally ephemeral,  because unlike two-party system with  clearer benefits for the  winner, the coalition government is at most difficult form of organization to  introduce any  change.

The celebrated by the Eurocentrics ‘loss’ of Wilders has two major reasons: the accidental – the poring water on Turkish rioters in Rotterdam impressed some part of electorate to extend they recognized Rutte as a strong man, able to protect the population from the negative impact of mass-migration.  The other element has deeper roots – Wilders repeats a mistake of many, attempting to do good to his people without their participation. Through years Party for Freedom (PVV) became a closed structure, almost impossible to enter. Wilders explains this decision to keep his party well intact as allowing him to maintain its high operational capacities without risks of too much of an inner debate to weaken the ability of actions. However the absence of this ‘horizontal’ dimension in favor of ‘vertical’ does not add charms to the  image of the convention in the eyes of citizens, expecting more dialog, and openness.

Photo: illustration