D66 leader Rob Jetten has declared victory in the parliamentary elections, claiming his party has become the largest in the Netherlands. Jetten addressed the press on Friday afternoon, calling the preliminary result “historic” and acknowledging the significant responsibility it entails.

While the official results are still a week away and pending counts from Venray and postal votes from abroad, D66 currently holds approximately 15,000 more votes than the PVV. The outcome hinges on these remaining votes.

Venray, which is undergoing a partial recount due to a fire at the town hall, previously favored the PVV in 2023. A similar outcome this time could potentially put the two parties on equal footing. Historically, D66 has performed strongly among postal voters from abroad, even in elections where the party struggled overall.

News agency ANP has already concluded that D66 will emerge as the largest party. Jetten expressed confidence in ANP’s assessment when questioned about waiting for the definitive results and postal votes.

Furthermore, D66 has the possibility of securing a remaining seat, potentially giving them a seat advantage over the PVV (27 to 26).

Regardless of which party secures the most votes, the PVV is expected to be excluded from the upcoming coalition formation talks due to the exclusion of Wilders by all major parties. Securing the most votes grants the leading party the initiative to appoint an explorer, a step that could potentially slow down the process. With D66 poised to become the largest party, they will be able to appoint an explorer next Tuesday.

Jetten addressed the press on Friday at what was described as a casual setting.