site.btaUPDATED Labour/Green Left Combination Wins European Parliament Elections in Netherlands

The Labour/Green Left Combination won the European elections in the Netherlands on Thursday. It will have 8 seats in the European Parliament, according to the first exit poll of Ipsos I&O reported on the NOS TV channel. Geert Wilders's far-right Eurosceptic Party for Freedom came in second, with 7 MEP seats, contrary to predictions of victory. 

The Netherlands was the first EU Member State to vote for European Parliament (EP) in 2024. The Netherlands is among the founding members of the Union, and these were its tenth EP elections.

The Dutch had to choose from a record number of contestants: 20 parties and 497 candidates from across the political spectrum. Between 9 and 11 parties were estimated to stand a chance of winning. They will send 31 MPs to the new 720-seat European Parliament.

Eligible to vote were people aged 18 years or older on polling day, holding citizenship of the Netherlands or of another EU country, and those who have not been disfranchised.