Most want stronger Europe, Timmermans says; PVV the "biggest winner," says Wilders

 

MONDAY, 10 JUNE 2024 - 08:09

https://nltimes.nl/2024/06/10/want-stronger-europe-timmermans-says-pvv-biggest-winner-says-wilders

 

Most want stronger Europe, Timmermans says; PVV the "biggest winner," says Wilders

 

The provisional results of the European Parliament elections show that most people want a stronger Europe, GroenLinks-PvdA leader Frans Timmermans said. His party’s European faction has become the largest in the European Parliament with 8 seats. The PVV got 6 seats and is the “biggest winner,” leader Geert Wilders said.

 

GroenLinks-PvdA has become the largest party “by a clear margin,” Timmermans said to ANP. “Together with the excellent performances of the other pro-European parties, this shows that a majority in the Netherlands wants to strengthen Europe and certainly not destroy it.”

 

GroenLinks-PvdA lost 1 seat, but with 8 seats, it is still the largest Dutch party in the European Parliament. The PVV gained significant ground but ended with 6 seats.

 

PVV leader Geert Wilders remains pleased with the results. “Still the biggest winner with 5 more seats! PVV voters THANK YOU!” he said on X on Sunday. Radical right-wing parties also made gains in other European member states, including France, Austria, and Italy.

 

GroenLinks-PvdA faction leader Bas Eichout is disappointed about the loss of seats for the Greens, the European faction to which GroenLinks belongs. The Greens retain 53 of its 71 seats, mainly due to a downturn in Germany and France.

 

After their election victory five years ago, the Greens contributed to the ambitions new European climate policy. That is now at stake, according to ANP. The center-right EPP, by far the biggest party, has been hitting the brakes lately, emphasizing that climate measures shouldn’t hinder farmers and companies. The Christian Democrats are also leaning to the right, with little interest in a green course.

 

Eickhout stressed that sustainability is indispensable for European business. Green innovation is necessary to compete with China and the US, he said to the news wire. The Greens’ leadership is committed to “the continuation of the Green Deal as part of a new green industrial strategy,” and “the future of our industry should unite the pro-European middle parties,” he said.

 

Volt leader Laurens Dassen is happy with the extra seat his party won in the European elections, calling it a “fantastic result” and saying that Volt is “really becoming a relevant party in Europe.” Volt will have 2 seats in the new European Parliament. The exit poll on Thursday showed 1 seat. The extra seat comes at the PVV’s expense. “I think it is good for Europe that a seat is lost to a party that wants to erode Europe and that a seat is added to a party that wants to strengthen Europe,” Dassen said.

 

D66 will go to Brussels with an “excellent team,” party leader Rob Jetten said on X. The party will increase from 2 to 3 sears. According to Jetten, the team will work hard for a strong Europe “for the Netherlands.”

 

The BBB is entering the European Parliament with 2 seats. Party leader Caroline van der Plas is “very happy and proud,” she said on X.

 

The ANP’s forecast on Sunday evening is based on the votes counted in the Dutch municipalities. These are still provisional results. The Electoral Council will announce the definite results on June 19.