D66 leader Rob Jetten has claimed victory in the parliamentary elections, calling it a “historic result” and acknowledging the great responsibility that comes with it. This statement was made to the press on Friday afternoon.

While the formal result won’t be announced for another week, and preliminary results from Venray and postal voters abroad are still pending, D66 currently holds a lead of approximately 15,000 votes over the PVV.

The outcome in Venray, where a partial recount is underway due to a fire at the town hall, could potentially favor the PVV, as it did in 2023. However, historically, D66 performs strongly among postal voters abroad, even in elections where the party’s overall performance is weaker.

The ANP news agency has already concluded that D66 will emerge as the largest party. When asked if he should wait for the final result or the postal votes, Jetten expressed confidence in the ANP’s services.

Furthermore, D66 has a chance of securing a remaining seat, which would give them a lead in terms of seats as well, with 27 compared to the PVV’s 26.

Regardless of whether the PVV or D66 ultimately has the most votes, the PVV is expected to be sidelined in the formation process, as all major parties have excluded Wilders. The key difference is that as the largest party, the PVV would have the initial opportunity to appoint an explorer, which could potentially delay the process. Otherwise, D66 is expected to appoint an explorer next Tuesday.

Jetten addressed the press at a snack counter on Friday.