The process of forming a new Dutch government in the aftermath of far-right firebrand Geert Wilders' stunning election victory got underway Friday as leaders of political parties met with the chair of parliament's lower house to appoint a “scout” to investigate possible coalitions.
Wilders' anti-Islam Party for Freedom, known by its Dutch acronym PVV, won 37 seats in the 150-seat lower house, indicating a seismic shift to the right for the Netherlands. The party of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte won 24, 10 fewer than in the previous election, according to a near complete count of Wednesday's votes.
