2019 European Parliament election in the Netherlands

Summary:

Reports, analyses and information on the electoral campaign and the aftermath of the European Parliament election held in the Netherlands on 23 May 2019.

Further information:

The Netherlands have 26 seats in the European Parliament.

Preliminary results indicated that the Dutch Labour Party (PvdA) of Frans Timmermans, who was the leading social democrat candidate to head the EU Commission, won the election in the Netherlands with 18,90% of the vote. Prime Minister Mark Rutte's liberal party (VVD) seemed to have become second with 14,60%, while Thierry Baudet's Eurosceptic Forum voor Democracy (FvD) and GroenLinks both apparently gained around 10,90% of the votes. According to the exit poll, the Christian Democrats (CDA), until the election the biggest Dutch Party in the European Parliament with five seats, lost one seat (12,10%).  The exit poll was a surprise as pre-electoral polls had suggested that FvD was likely to be tied for the largest party in vote share with VVD. Also the preliminary results for Geert Wilders' Freedom Party, which lost all of its four seats, were unexpected.

The turnout was around 41,2%. The official Dutch results were not due to be revealed until after Europe's polling as a whole wraps up on 26 May.

The electoral campaign was mainly a campaign for or against the EU, but also the issue of climate change was dominant and worked in favour of both the FvD, which ruled out measures to tackle climate change, and the GL Green, which called for more ambitious measures.

Commentary and Analysis

Wikipedia: 2019 European Parliament election in the Netherlands https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_European_Parliament_election_in_the_Netherlands

Politico: 2019 European Elections Netherlands https://www.politico.eu/2019-european-elections/netherlands/

Clingendael, 10/03/2019: Dutch political parties on the European Union https://www.clingendael.org/publication/dutch-political-parties-european-union

LSE: Europp Blog, 09/04/2019: As the Netherlands gears up for European elections, Mark Rutte faces challenges from both the left and the right https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2019/04/09/as-the-netherlands-gears-up-for-european-elections-mark-rutte-faces-challenges-from-both-the-left-and-the-right/

EurActiv, 25/04/2019: EU country briefing: The Netherlands https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2019/news/eu-country-briefing-the-netherlands/

NL Times, 10/05/2019: Dutch parties' views for Europe election range from Nexit to joint defense https://nltimes.nl/2019/05/10/dutch-parties-views-europe-election-range-nexit-joint-defense

Atlantic Council, 17/05/2019: Euroscepticism and Populism to Gain in Dutch Representation in the European Parliament https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/euroscepticism-and-populism-to-gain-in-dutch-representation-in-the-european-parliament

France24, 19/05/2019: Dutch lead populist charge in EU elections https://www.france24.com/en/20190519-dutch-lead-populist-charge-eu-elections

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News

Politico, 28/02/2019: Euroskeptic Dutch party aims to join ECR group after EU election https://www.politico.eu/article/euroskeptic-dutch-party-aims-to-join-ecr-group-after-eu-election/

The Guardian, 20/05/2019: Dutch Eurosceptics dream of united front to roll back EU https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/20/dutch-eurosceptics-dream-of-united-front-to-roll-back-eu

Dutch News, 20/05/2019: As Rutte and Baudet size each other up, there are other EU tv debates https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2019/05/as-rutte-and-baudet-size-each-other-up-there-are-other-eu-tv-debates/

EurActiv, 22/05/2019: #EU2019 – Dutch PM Rutte turns EP campaign into duel with far-right https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/eu2019-dutch-pm-rutte-turns-ep-campaign-into-duel-with-far-right/

Politico, 23/05/2019: Timmermans’ Labor wins Dutch EU election: exit poll https://www.politico.eu/article/timmermans-netherlands-european-election/

Reuters, 23/05/2019: Labour party wins Dutch vote in European election - exit poll https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-eu-election-netherlands-exitpoll/labour-party-wins-dutch-vote-in-european-election-exit-poll-idUKKCN1ST2IA

Reuters, 23/05/2019: In upset, Dutch Labour party trumps populists in European vote - exit poll https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-eu-election-netherlands/in-upset-dutch-labour-party-trumps-populists-in-european-vote-exit-poll-idUKKCN1ST0DJ?il=0

Deutsche Welle, 24/05/2019: Netherlands poll surprise: Anti-EU parties fall short https://p.dw.com/p/3IzSk

EurActiv, 24/05/2019: Dutch vote boosts chances of ‘progressive alliance’ in EU Parliament https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/dutch-vote-boosts-chances-of-progressive-alliance-in-eu-parliament/

NL Times, 24/05/2019: Nationalist Wilders disappointed by Exit Polls: Other Politicans satisfied https://nltimes.nl/2019/05/24/nationalist-wilders-disappointed-exit-polls-politicians-satisfied

France24, 24/05/2019: Dutch pro-EU forces in surprise surge against populists in European elections https://www.france24.com/en/20190524-dutch-pro-eu-forces-surprise-surge-against-populists-european-elections

NL Times, 27/05/2019: Turnout for European election highest in 20 Years https://nltimes.nl/2019/05/27/turnout-european-elections-highest-20-years

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Official

European Elections.eu: How to Vote in Netherlands https://www.european-elections.eu/how-to-vote/netherlands

Election Results.eu: National Results Netherlands https://election-results.eu/national-results/netherlands/2019-2024/

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ESO Records

European Parliament elections, 23-26 May 2019 https://www.europeansources.info/record/european-parliament-elections-23-26-may-2019/

Political campaign ahead of 2019 European Parliament elections https://www.europeansources.info/record/political-campaign-ahead-of-2019-european-parliament-elections/

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