THE HAGUE, 1 November (H.S.): In a dramatic conclusion to a nail-biting election, Dutch centrist leader Rob Jetten claimed victory on Wednesday, narrowly defeating far-right populist Geert Wilders in one of the closest races in the nation's history.

The win positions the 38-year-old Jetten to become the youngest and first openly gay prime minister in the modern history of the Netherlands.

After a tense count, analysis by the Dutch news agency ANP indicated that Jetten's liberal D66 party had an insurmountable lead of just 15,000 votes over Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV).

We are the biggest party in the Netherlands! Now we'll get to work for all Dutch people, Jetten announced on social media.Projections with 99% of votes counted showed both parties on track for 26 seats in the 150-seat parliament, but ANP reported that D66 could secure a decisive 27th seat.

Wilders, who had led in pre-election polls, refused to concede, stating it is up to the electoral council, not a news agency, to declare the final result.Jetten's stunning victory came after a relentlessly positive campaign centered on the slogan Yes, we can (Het kan wel), which helped him secure key wins in major cities like Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht. His polished performances in televised debates contrasted sharply with Wilders' populist platform, which saw a decline in support compared to his surprise victory in the November 2023 election.

We have shown to the rest of Europe and the world that it is possible to beat the populist movements if you campaign with a positive message, Jetten told reporters.Despite the victory, Jetten faces the complex task of forming a stable government. He will need to build a coalition with at least three other parties to secure a 76-seat majority.

The most likely partners include the conservative-liberal VVD, the left-wing Labour-GreenLeft alliance, and the Christian Democrats, but negotiations are expected to take months. Outgoing Prime Minister Dick Schoof predicted he would likely still be in office at Christmas due to the anticipated complexity of the talks.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar