Elections in the Netherlands: what to expect for refugees from Ukraine

The election season in Europe continues. Thus, on October 29, the Netherlands held early elections to the House of Representatives (Dutch Parliament). It should be noted that the current elections are the third in four years, which is a sign of crisis processes in political elites. The political parties that took part in the elections developed election programs that outlined their plans for implementation if elected. The journalists tracked the position of these political parties on Ukrainians in the Netherlands.

The surprise of the 2025 elections

It turned out that after processing almost 99% of the ballots, according to NOS, the Liberal Party D66, headed by Rob Jetten, and the Party of Geert Wilders (PVV) received the same number of seats - 26 each. The extreme right-wing populist Freedom Party, which has been skeptical of aid to Ukraine, has rapidly lost ground, with its number of MPs now down. From 37 seats in the current parliament to 26 after the elections.

The center-right People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) won 22 seats in the election, the Green Left and Labor Party (GL-PvdA) won 20, and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) won 18. The remaining parties have less than 10 seats. This is the first time in the modern history of the Netherlands that no party has reached the 30-member mark.

The final results were announced by the country's Central Election Commission on November 7. The party that won the most seats was the first to get the right to form a coalition. If the number of seats is equal, the party with the most votes will have the right to form a coalition. In the case of this election, it was the D66 party. However, a week before the final announcement of the results, observers said that the right-wing radical forces had significantly lost support, while moderates who were more favorable to Ukraine showed better results.

It should be noted that during these elections, the Wilders Party traditionally relied on anti-immigration rhetoric. D66, on the other hand, focused on European integration, climate and social policy. In the party's program, the issue of migration is mentioned only once - in the context of European law.

The election campaign. PHOTO: REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw

D66 is in favor of continuing support for Ukraine, while the Freedom Party is against it. D66 also condemns Israel's actions in Palestine, calling them genocide, while Wilders is open to Israel. Wilders is also a supporter of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and opposes the European Union, immigration, and Islam. The fight against immigration was the main theme of the PVV's election campaign.

Regarding Russia's war against Ukraine, in 2023 Wilders called Vladimir Putin a dictator, but at the same time said that military support should not be provided to Ukraine because the Netherlands also needs weapons.

At the same time, after processing the missing ballots, political scientist Matthijs Roedeijn of the University of Amsterdam said that Wilders' party lost some moderate and radical voters. At the same time, "the losses could have been greater," he added.

What do the parties that took part in the election race think about Ukrainians and their place in Dutch society?

VVD: The VVD's election program does not contain a specific reference to Ukrainian refugees. Previous positions indicate that the VVD considers their protection to be temporary and that their return is preferred as soon as the situation in Ukraine allows.
NSC: The NSC program is silent on Ukrainian refugees. Previous positions indicate that the party believes that Ukrainian refugees should still be accepted for the duration of the war, but that their stay is temporary.
GL-PvdA: The GL-PvdA wants to extend the special status for Ukrainians. They should be able to study at regular tuition fees. The party wants Ukrainians to be able to work without a permit and to retain access to language courses. The GL-PvdA also wants to have a positive experience with their reception with other refugees.
BBB: BBB wants Ukrainians to have decent housing for the duration of the war. As soon as it is safe to return, this should start. In addition, BBB believe that Ukrainians, like other asylum seekers, should be required to contribute to society through work, volunteering or education. They should also make a greater personal contribution to cover housing costs such as gas, water and electricity.
JV: The SP does not mention Ukrainians in its election program. Previous positions indicate that the party supports the reception of Ukrainians, but also wants to offer better prospects, for example, with jobs and housing.
D66: D66 wants to keep temporary protection for Ukrainians as long as necessary. The program studies that Ukrainians should have more stability, with access to language education, training and work at appropriate levels, in cooperation with employers and educational institutions.
CDA: There is no mention of Ukrainians on the CDA platform. Previous positions indicate that the CDA believes that Ukrainians should be granted temporary protection until their return is safe. The party sees the Temporary Protection Directive as an example for other groups.
CU: CU does not mention Ukrainians in its program. Previous positions indicate that the party supports their reception and wants municipalities to be properly assisted in this.
The Party for the Protection of Human Rights (PvdD): The Party for the Protection of Human Rights wants the special protection that currently looks towards Ukrainians (Temporary Protection Directive, RTB) to also be extended to other groups that often have a chance of asylum, such as people from Syria, Eritrea and Yemen. Thus, the party wants to ensure a lasting and clear form of protection not only for Ukrainians, but also for other groups caused to flee.
SGP: The SGP platform does not include Ukrainians. Previous positions indicate that the party believes that Ukrainians should be helped as long as the war remains, but their asylum should remain temporary.
Volt: Ukrainians now have temporary protection in the EU because of the war. Volt wants them to no longer remain in a heightened state, but to be granted permanent residence and receive official resident status.
DENK: The DENK platform does not specifically mention Ukrainians living in the Netherlands. However, previous positions have clearly indicated that Ukrainians should have equal opportunities in work, education and healthcare. Ukrainians have received fair protection and assistance, and refugees from other countries should be treated equally. In addition, the party wants Ukrainians, like all other refugees, to live in small reception centers.
JA21: The JA21 program does not include Ukrainians. Previous positions indicate that the party believes they should preferably stay in neighboring countries, but that temporary asylum in the Netherlands is possible if necessary.
PVV: According to the party, adult male Ukrainian refugees should leave Ukraine to help their country. Women and children are allowed to stay, but only temporarily.
FvD: The FvD does not mention Ukrainians in its platform. Previous positions indicate that the party considers their stay to be temporary and that their accommodation in the Netherlands should not come at a cost to Dutch citizens.

Clarification of voting results

As reported by the Dutch news agency ANP on October 31, after almost all the votes had been counted, the Freedom Party no longer had a chance to catch up with D66. The advantage was more than 15 thousand votes. Thus, the pro-European D66 officially overtook the right-wing radical PVV and became the main winner of the early parliamentary elections in the Netherlands.

Rob Jetten (left) and Geert Wilders. PHOTO: REUTERS collage

According to preliminary data, D66 has increased its representation in parliament from 9 to 26 seats. The ANP also admits that the party may receive one more "residual" seat, bringing the number of deputies to 27.

The party's victory gives it the first mandate to form a coalition and makes Rob Jetten the main contender for the post of prime minister.

It should be noted that Geert Wilders, known for his anti-immigration and anti-Islamic rhetoric, has been leading in opinion polls almost all along. It was he who initiated the early elections: in June, Wilders announced his party's withdrawal from the ruling coalition due to the motion on migration and asylum.

After that, most political forces said they were no longer ready to cooperate with him.

Who will form the new government

Rob Jutten has said that he is seeking a "broad, stable and ambitious" coalition. Among some of the partners he named are the VVD led by Jeschilhoz-Zegerius, the Green Left and Labor Party (GL-PvdA), and the Christian Democrats (CDA). At the same time, the CDA, which survived the crisis two years ago, can now count on 18 seats.

"Two years ago we could not even dream of such a result!" said CDA leader Henry Bontenbal.

For Ukraine, the election results can be viewed as moderately optimistic. The weakening of Wilders' position, known for his anti-Ukrainian rhetoric, is a somewhat positive signal. It is expected that the new government - if it is headed by centrist or liberal forces - will continue its course of political and military support for Ukraine.

What worried voters in the Netherlands

Voting in Rotterdam. PHOTO: Abdullah Asiran / Anadolu via Getty Images

Despite the fact that migration and overcrowded refugee centers were actively discussed during the campaign, the main problem for the underserved Dutch was the acute shortage of housing. In a country with a population of 18 million, there are almost 400,000 houses that are not built.

The D66 party has proposed a large-scale plan to build ten new cities to overcome the housing crisis.

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