Current election trend for Netherlands

D66
PVV
VVD
CDA
GL/PvdA
FvD
JA21
SGP
19.3
15.1
13.2
12.8
11.2
6.1
6.0
2.5

Political orientation of parties

What do the symbols mean?
To make parties easier to compare, the symbols indicate a party’s political orientation. These categories provide a quick overview. More detailed information on political positions can be found on the party subpages.
Far left
Left
Centre-left
Centre
Transversal
Unknown
Centre-right
Right
Far right
Liberal
Environment & climate
Regional
Animal rights
Satirical

On the rise: D66

+2.2 gain in the last 30 days

Trending down: GL/PvdA

-1.3 loss in the last 30 days

Next Election: 2029

The next election is expected to take place in 2029.

Government would likely lose its majority

In the current polling trend, the governing parties reach 31.3% of the seats.

Who is leading in the PolitPro election trend?

In the current PolitPro election trend for the Parliamentary election in Netherlands, D66 is leading with 19.3%. They are followed by PVV with 15.1%, VVD with 13.2%, CDA with 12.8%, GL/PvdA with 11.2%, FvD with 6.1%, JA21 with 6%, SGP with 2.5%, Denk with 2.3%, BBB with 2.2%, SP with 2.2%, PvdD with 2%, CU with 1.9%, 50Plus with 1.8% and Volt with 1%. Other parties receive 0.4% of the vote.

When is the next Parliamentary election in Netherlands?

The next Parliamentary election in Netherlands is expected to take place in 2029. Until then, current election polls serve as the primary barometer for the political climate in Netherlands.

Could the current government in Netherlands remain in office?

In the current polling trend, the incumbent government parties combined reach only 31.3% of the seats and would no longer hold a majority. This indicates a significant shift in political power: the government would likely not remain in office, as it currently falls short of the necessary parliamentary majority to continue the coalition.

How does the PolitPro Election Trend work?

The PolitPro Election Trend aggregates results from all major polling institutes into a weighted average for the Parliamentary election in Netherlands. Since traditional voting intention polls (“How would you vote if the election were held today?”) fluctuate based on methodology and sample size, our trend provides a more stable data foundation. It smooths out short-term statistical outliers and visualizes the true political momentum over time.

Why averages provide more insight than individual polls

In modern electoral research, using multiple data sources reduces the risk of random bias. Individual surveys are always subject to a margin of error, typically between 1.5% and 3%. By combining various institutes in our polling check for Netherlands, we increase the validity of the data. We clarify whether a party's gain is a sustainable trend or merely within the margin of error of a single pollster.

Weighting and calculation of the trend value

The calculation of the PolitPro Election Trend follows a transparent mathematical model that accounts for various quality factors. Recent polls are given higher weighting in the average, while older data gradually loses influence. Furthermore, the historical accuracy of institutes in previous elections is factored in to correct for systematic biases. The result is a clean trend line that provides a reliable reflection of developments within the political system of Netherlands.

Political system

Constitutional monarchy

The monarch represents the state, while the elected parliament governs.

Liberal democracy

Free elections, independent institutions, and strong political rights are guaranteed.

How is the election held?

Proportional representation with open lists in a nationwide constituency.
77

Democracy score

Netherlands reaches 77 out of 100 points in the PolitPro democracy score.

Coalition options

Electoral threshold

No fixed threshold, in practice around 0.67% for a seat.

Who could enter parliament?

In the current election trend, 15 parties could enter parliament: D66 with 30 MPs, PVV with 24 MPs, VVD with 20 MPs, CDA with 20 MPs, GL/PvdA with 17 MPs, FvD with 9 MPs, JA21 with 9 MPs, SGP with 3 MPs, Denk with 3 MPs, BBB with 3 MPs, SP with 3 MPs, PvdD with 3 MPs, CU with 3 MPs, 50Plus with 2 MPs and Volt with 1 MPs.

The electoral system in Netherlands

The House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) is the directly elected lower house of the Dutch Parliament, consisting of 150 members. Elections are held using a pure proportional representation system within a single nationwide constituency. Although the country is organized into 20 electoral circles for administrative purposes, seats are allocated based on the total national vote. Voters cast their ballot for a specific candidate on a party list. This "open list" system allows candidates to bypass the party's pre-set ranking and win a seat through preferential votes if they receive enough individual support from the electorate.

Electoral threshold and entry barriers

The Netherlands has one of the lowest electoral thresholds in the world: to enter the House of Representatives, a party only needs to secure the number of votes required for a single seat. This is exactly 1/150th of the total valid votes cast, or approximately 0.67%. Unlike many other countries, there is no higher artificial hurdle like a 5% threshold. This extreme openness fosters significant political diversity, ensuring that small interest groups and niche parties are represented, but it also results in a highly fragmented parliament with many competing factions.

Government formation and coalition traditions

Due to the large number of parties represented in parliament (often 15 or more), it is impossible for a single party to win the 76 seats required for a majority. Consequently, coalition governments involving three, four, or even five parties are the norm. Because the system does not favor stable two-party blocs, negotiations are typically lengthy and complex. Recent political trends, including the outcomes of late 2025, have seen a shift toward minority governments or "extra-parliamentary" cabinets that must build ad-hoc majorities in parliament for each legislative proposal.
D66 + PVV + VVD + CDA
Centre-right
62.7%
D66 + VVD + CDA + GL/PvdA
Centre-right
58.0%
D66 + PVV + VVD + FvD
Centre-right
55.3%
D66 + PVV + CDA + FvD
Centre-right
55.3%
D66 + PVV + VVD + JA21
Right
55.3%
D66 + PVV + CDA + JA21
Centre-right
55.3%
PVV + VVD + CDA + FvD + JA21
Right
54.7%
D66 + VVD + CDA + FvD
Centre-right
52.7%

Important political parties in Netherlands

Latest opinion polls

Polling institutes in Netherlands

Election accuracy
Very accurate
Very inaccurate
What is the PolitPro Score for institutes?
The PolitPro Score for institutes measures the reliability of polling institutes based on their election accuracy and deviation from the election trend. Strong deviations from the trend lead to deductions, as they may indicate bias for or against certain parties. The maximum score is 100.

Election trend development

Latest elections

Government

Democracy in Netherlands

Liberal democracy

Free elections, independent institutions, and strong political rights are guaranteed.
77

Democracy score

Netherlands reaches 77 out of 100 points in the PolitPro democracy score.
-7

Trend: Strong decline

The democracy score has strongly declined over the past 10 years.
76

Democracy score: Rule of law

Assesses how well separation of powers, independent courts, and civil rights are protected in Netherlands.
82

Democracy score: Elections

Assesses whether elections in Netherlands are free, fair, and genuinely determine government.
73

Democracy score: Decision-making

Assesses whether political decisions in Netherlands are based on arguments and public debate.
73

Democracy score: Equality

Assesses whether all citizens in Netherlands can participate equally regardless of background.
56

Democracy score: Participation

Shows how strongly citizens in Netherlands influence politics through parties, unions, or groups.
What is the PolitPro Democracy Score?
The PolitPro Democracy Score evaluates different aspects of democracy based on scientific data from the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) project. The international research project is led by the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) and the University of Notre Dame (USA). More than 3,500 experts assess the democratic quality of their countries using standardized criteria. PolitPro combines and extends this data to present it in a clear and comparable way. The score ranges from 0 to 100 points.

Political system

Constitutional monarchy

The monarch represents the state, while the elected parliament governs.

How is the election held?

Proportional representation with open lists in a nationwide constituency.

After the election

The government formation process begins immediately after an election, with the House of Representatives appointing a "scout" or "informateur" to explore potential alliances. This is followed by detailed negotiations to draft a comprehensive "Coalition Agreement" (Regeerakkoord). Only in the final stage is a "formateur"—usually the future Prime Minister—appointed to assemble the cabinet. A unique feature of the Dutch system is the strict separation of powers: ministers cannot hold a seat in parliament and must resign their legislative mandate upon joining the government.

Characteristics of the electorate

Voting rights are granted to all Dutch citizens aged 18 and older. Voter turnout is traditionally high, generally ranging between 75% and 80%. A distinctive feature is the flexibility of the voting process; with a "stempas" (polling card), citizens can vote at any polling station within their municipality. Proxy voting is also common and straightforward. The Dutch electorate is characterized by high mobility and volatility, leading to significant shifts between established mainstream parties and emerging political movements in recent election cycles.

Member of the European Union

European union of states with shared laws, a single market, and democratic standards.

Member of NATO

Military defense alliance between Europe and North America.

Member of the OSCE

Organization for peace, security, and human rights in Europe.

Member of the OECD

Group of economically developed countries cooperating on economic policy.

Sources of data and information

PolitPro

PolitPro brings together scientific data and current poll results to make politics tangible for everyone. We use datasets from leading research projects and complement them with our own research, analyses, and algorithms. This allows us to make complex political contexts accessible and easy to understand. Supported by AI.

Found a mistake?

Political data changes every day. If you notice an error, feel free to send us an email. A short source reference helps us review the information.

V-Dem – Varieties of Democracy

Research data from the University of Gothenburg focused on democracy. Independent political experts from around the world assess political systems using scientific criteria.
More
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V-Party – Parties of the World Dataset

A research project from the University of Gothenburg. International political scientists evaluate the core ideological positions of political parties worldwide using standardized criteria.
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Long-running research data from the University of Bremen. It documents political parties and governments and enables systematic political comparison.
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Döring, Holger and Philip Manow. 2024. Parliaments and governments database (ParlGov): Information on parties, elections and cabinets in established democracies.

CHES – Chapel Hill Expert Survey

Europe’s most important expert survey on party positions. More than 400 political scientists from different countries assess party positions based on scientific criteria.
More
Rovny, Jan, Ryan Bakker, Liesbet Hooghe, Seth Jolly, Gary Marks, Jonathan Polk, Marco Steenbergen, and Milada Vachudova. “25 Years of Political Party Positions in Europe: The Chapel Hill Expert Survey, 1999-2024,”