Dutch elections mark yet another far-right triumph in Europe

In this episode, the Beyond the Byline podcast looks into the results of the Dutch elections, which saw the party of anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders lead the polls.

The success of Wilders’ Freedom Party (PVV) signalled a notable rightwards shift in a country that’s seen more than a decade of centrist governance.

Wilders is now positioned to lead talks for the next governing coalition, potentially becoming the first far-right prime minister of the Netherlands, with the PVV securing 37 seats in the 150-seat lower house of parliament — more than double his previous tally of 17 in the last election.

This outcome is sending shockwaves through Europe, where far-right ideologies are gaining momentum.

We asked Catherine Fieschi, a comparative political analyst with a focus on populism, authoritarianism, and challenges to democracy and representation and a fellow at the Robert Schuman Centre, about the proliferation of far-right governments in the EU – and why Europeans are increasingly turning to the right in the polls.