The real Dutch results from Thursday’s European election show a slightly different picture than three different exit polls, with an improved performance from both the Christian Democrats and Geert Wilders’ anti-immigration PVV.

The final results, with turnout of 43%, are as follows

CDA 5 ( was 5) (15%)

D66 4 (was 3) (15.4%)

PVV 4 (was 5) (13.2%)

VVD 3 (unchanged) (11.9%)

PvdA 3 (unchanged) (9.4%)

SP 2 (unchanged) 9.6%

CU/SGP 2 (was 2) 7.6%

GroenLinks 2 (unchanged) 7%

PvdD 1 (was 0) 4.2%

The polls had indicated the PVV would lose two of their five seats. Nevertheless, the PVV vote is down from 17% to 13.2%, which means PVV support has gone down by around 20%.

CDA leader Sybrand Buma said he was ‘delighted’ his party remains the biggest Dutch group within the European parliament. The CDA have their ‘extra’ MEP because of their link with the orthodox religious parties and 50Plus. That means any excess CU, SGP and 50PLus votes are transferred to the CDA.

The same vote transfer applies to the Labour party’s link with GroenLinks, which means it has three MEPs – more than the Socialists, despite polling fewer votes.

Wilders used Twitter to describe the actual results as ‘great’. ‘Four seats after all,’ he said. ‘Here’s to forming a big euro-critical grouping within the European parliament with the next president of France, Marine le Pen.

The PVV and Front National are hoping to link up with other anti-European parties to form a block within the parliament, which will entitle them to extra funding and support.