RCA Telegram News California - Dutch centrist Jetten clinches election win: final tally

Jetten had already declared victory on Friday after local news agency ANP, which tallies and publishes the results, had said Wilders could not overhaul his lead.

The final ballots to be counted came from some 87,000 Dutch expats, whose postal votes were tallied in The Hague.

As expected, the Dutch living abroad plumped more for Jetten (16,049 votes) than Wilders (7,451), giving the 38-year-old an unassailable lead.

The Dutch Electoral Council will officially declare the result on Friday.

Wilders has accused Jetten of arrogance in claiming victory before the official declaration, and also shared unfounded allegations of voting irregularities.

The Electoral Council on Friday will also detail whether there were any problems on Wednesday's election day.

The result puts the charismatic Jetten on track to become the country's youngest and first openly gay prime minister.

But first he has the arduous task of forming a coalition.

The fragmented nature of Dutch politics means no party wins enough seats in the 150-member parliament to form an absolute majority.

Jetten's D66 party is projected to win 26 seats -- the same as the anti-Islam, anti-migrant Freedom Party (PVV) led by Wilders.

The most viable option -- and Jetten's preference -- is a four-way coalition with the centre-right CDA (18 seats), the left-wing Green/Labour (20), and the right-wing VVD (22).

That coalition would have 86 seats for a solid majority but there are doubts over whether Jetten can get the VVD and Green/Labour to work together.

The next step comes on Tuesday when Jetten appoints a so-called "scout" to see which parties are willing to work with whom.

Until a new coalition is formed, the caretaker government led by Dick Schoof is in charge.

The coalition talks are expected to be lengthy and arduous. Schoof has said he is bracing to still be PM at Christmas.

B.Puglisi--RTC