Netherlands for "Pitbull on heels" or "Saint Pieter"?
The "torentje" in The Hague is the most famous address in the Netherlands, the official residence of the Prime Minister. The medieval turret with a view of the courtyard pond has been Mark Rutte's kingdom for more than 13 years. But now his successor is being sought. On Wednesday, the Dutch elect a new parliament, setting the course for a new era - without Rutte.
After just 18 months, his center-right coalition collapsed in the summer following a dispute over migration policy. It was Rutte's fourth government and the 56-year-old announced his departure from national politics shortly afterwards. Many followed his example. Almost all parties are now running with new top candidates. But one of them is stealing the show: Pieter Omtzigt.
Pieter Omtzigt
The 49-year-old has been a member of the Second Chamber of Parliament for a good 20 years - until 2021 for the Christian Democrats. He only founded his own conservative party in August: NSC - New Social Contract. And it is achieving top ratings in the polls.
"Omtzigt is a phenomenon," says Sheila Sitalsing, political commentator for the newspaper De Volkskrant. "He is boring, colorless, a kind of anti-hero." He is not very decisive either. He even doubts whether he wants to be prime minister at all. "I'm interested in the content, not the power," he says. Omtzigt wants the country to be run differently and better. His main topic is also as sexy as a hot water boiler: Renewing the administration.
But this strikes a chord with voters, even if no one knows exactly what should actually be different. "There is great dissatisfaction," says Peter Kanne, opinion researcher at the I&O Institute in Amsterdam. "Many think that the country is not working well, that the state is no longer delivering: In the police, schools, healthcare system." In addition, there have been major scandals in recent years.
Omtzigt as savior?
The child benefit scandal is symptomatic of the state's failure. An estimated 25,000 parents had to pay tens of thousands of euros due to alleged fraud, simply because they had made small formal errors. The consequences for families were catastrophic. In 2021, the third Rutte government resigned as a result.
Pieter Omtzigt is one of the politicians who has persistently stood up for the victims for years. And that gives him credibility, says publicist Sitalsing. "Voters trust him and see him as a kind of savior." Some are already calling him "Saint Pieter."
"For the first time in a good 20 years, established power in The Hague is being challenged from the center," says Sitalsing. And not from a dazzling right-wing populist, as there have been many in recent years. Rather, it is an economist who knows the tax laws by heart. "Omtzigt is presentable because he remains decent," says Kanne. He has no radical points of view. "He's not racist and doesn't offend anyone."
Dilan Yesilgöz
But it is a neck-and-neck race. Because the first woman to enter the "torentje" could be the current right-wing liberal justice minister, Dilan Yesilgöz (46). Outwardly at least, she is the complete opposite of Omtzigt. Dilan, as she likes to introduce herself, balances skillfully on dizzyingly high heels or shows herself fighting in the gym's boxing ring on social media.
"Pitbull on heels", she is also called in the media. She seems to like it. With a beaming smile and skillfully placed oneliners, she delivers a perfect election campaign and could become the successor to her party colleague Rutte.
This is also a mystery to many observers. Why does the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), which has been in power until now, not have to fear any punishment from voters? After all, it is precisely this party that is blamed for scandals and poverty, housing shortages and problems in the healthcare system. Many are happy that Rutte is leaving, the man with the great talent for simply laughing away problems. "But many VVD voters are doing well economically," says election researcher Kanne, "they don't want any major change."
Yesilgöz is making a name for herself with a staunchly right-wing course. Migration is her big issue and she wants to curb it. This is strange for someone who fled to the Netherlands with her parents from Turkey as a child.
Frans Timmermans
The VVD has succeeded in making migration a top issue in this election, and this is pushing climate protection into the background. The alliance between the Social Democrats and the Greens is suffering from this in particular. They were hoping for a change of power after 13 years of Rutte and are running together for the first time.
Lead candidate Frans Timmermans (62) seemed the ideal man for a left-wing comeback. He gave up his post as EU Climate Commissioner to become prime minister. But the polls are disappointing. He is clearly lagging behind Omtzigt and Yesilgöz. Instead of a left-wing comeback, there are signs of a clear shift to the right.
It is likely that four parties will be needed for a majority in the 150-seat Second Chamber. The moderate Omtzigt and the right-wing liberal Yesilgöz would probably govern together and are looking for partners on the right.
Geert Wilders
And this is where the right-wing populist Geert Wilders (60) comes into play for the first time in a long time. Until now, almost all parties had excluded him because of his incitement against Islam. Omtzigt still has reservations, but the VVD is open to cooperation. Wilders senses his chance. The right-winger has launched a charm offensive and even mothballed his fight against Islam. "That's not a priority at the moment," he says - his new nickname: "Geert Milders".
In the upcoming Dutch elections, Pieter Omtzigt, a conservative politician known for his focus on administrative renewal, is gaining popularity with his new party, NSC. His rival for the prime minister position could be Dilan Yesilgöz, the right-wing liberal justice minister, who is known for her staunchly right-wing stance on migration and her charismatic election campaign.
Despite scandals and criticism towards the VVD for issues such as poverty and housing shortages, the party's VVD candidate, Dilan Yesilgöz, is not facing significant punishment from voters. This has left many observers puzzled.
Source: www.dpa.com
