Rutte claims victory for slightly losing VVD: ‘We will become the largest party’ Municipal elections 2022

It is shortly before midnight when Prime Minister Mark Rutte takes the stage in De Prael brewery in The Hague. “The picture for us as VVD is that there are municipalities where we have pluses, many municipalities where we remain the same and also places where we fall slightly.” Then to claim the victory. ,,It is impossible to say how that will play out for the rest of the evening. But I do know one thing: it looks like we will be the biggest party.”

If the VVD does indeed succeed, it will only be the first time in municipal elections. Until now, the CDA has always been ahead of the liberals, although in 2018 with minimal difference.

However, Rutte and the party leaders do not want to sell the skin before the bear was shot. Throughout the evening, all party leaders of the VVD keep quiet, in what appears to be a deliberate PR strategy. No one wants to anticipate the result in front of the media present, afraid that the polls are wrong. “No, I’m not the first to say something,” for example, party leader Sophie Hermans says around half past ten, after quite a few exit polls have already shown that the VVD seems to be booking a very decent election result.

The overall picture is minimal loss. It means that all prior polls were pretty accurate. The latest I&O poll predicted a decline of 2.3 percent. In practice, the VVD seems to be doing even better. For example, the Rotterdam exit poll foresees a 1.7 percent loss, and 1.5 percent in Breda. In Zwolle and Veendam the match remains exactly the same. In Amsterdam, too, the VVD is only losing slightly.

It is exactly what most VVD members counted on. The mood switches from good to exuberant when our own mayor Jan van Zanen on regional channel TV West presents the provisional result in The Hague, based on 57 percent of the votes. The VVD is doing very well in the Hofstad and retains its seven seats. An ovational applause follows.

Only then does campaign manager Thierry Aartsen dare to address the VVD members a little after ten-thirty. He thanks everyone, but keeps his arm tight. ,,The first results are in and we have a chance to become the largest party nationally. It will be a long long evening, 90 percent of the votes have yet to be counted, but I am confident.”

After Aartsen, The Hague party leader Anne Mulder knows how to stir up his party members even more. “You did a great job. If we do indeed succeed in keeping the seats we won four years ago in The Hague, then we have done a fantastic job.”

By this time, the music has been turned upside down and Motown and rock classics have given way to Get Ready for This by 2Unlimited and DJ Paul Elstaks Rainbow High in the Sky. The beer and wine flow from the tap.

According to interim party chairman Onno Hoes, his party members should be more than satisfied. “We ran an excellent campaign. We really took everything out and left nothing behind.” He says that because of corona, the campaign was mainly conducted through personal conversations at the door. ,,Folder by folder, flyer by flyer, we went through the doors. We have been less in markets and crowded places this campaign.”