If populism is an overused term, so is the idea that it can be defeated. The victory of mainstream parties in Wednesday’s Dutch election is no more fatal for the far right—which lost seats and was tied in first place with the centrist Democrats 66—than Emmanuel Macron’s re-election in France in 2022 or Friedrich Merz’s win last year in Germany.
Throw in the UK, where Nigel Farage is tipped to be the next prime minister, and there’s still a risk that Europe’s biggest economies will be piloted (or co-piloted) by hardline anti-immigrant parties before the end of the decade.
Still, even if Geert Wilders’s euroskepticism and peroxide-blond hair aren’t going anywhere, this is a reality check for the MAGA world’s European satellites. The Netherlands is a country that’s relatively rich, home to top firms like tech giant ASML Holding NV, yet rife with frustration over the cost of living.
Forecasts published after 98% of votes were counted showed Wilders’ Freedom Party losing 11 seats and clinching the same vote share as Rob Jetten’s D66. This opens the door for D66 to have a shot at building an anyone-but-Wilders coalition.
This outcome could be a teachable moment for others trying to work out how to compete with the magnetic pull of the Donald Trump crowd.
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2025-10-30/dutch-election-europe-s-maga-takeover-gets-a-reality-check
