During 13 years in office, the Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, acquired the nickname “Teflon Mark” – a tribute to his ability to dodge the fallout from political scandals and forge new coalitions from the rubble of previous governments. It therefore seemed likely that Mr Rutte’s decision to precipitate a snap election last week was another example of the Netherlands’ longest-serving leader playing a canny game. Instead it turned out to be the endgame, as Mr Rutte unexpectedly announced on Monday that he intends to stand down.
What comes next is, to say the least, up in the air. Mr Rutte, a master deal-maker in a kaleidoscopic system currently comprising 20 parties, has dominated mainstream Dutch politics. His departure leaves a temporary void which more extreme forces will hope to fill. Post-pandemic, in the Netherlands as elsewhere, the challenges of the cost of living and energy crisis, rising global migration and the green transition have proved a boon for the radical right, whose influence is seeping into the mainstream.
