Prime minister Dick Schoof and Geert Wilders, leader of the largest Dutch coalition party, have congratulated Donald Trump on becoming the next US president even though the result has yet to be officially declared.

Schoof stressed the importance of strong bilateral relations via international organisations such as Nato, where his predecessor Mark Rutte recently took over as secretary-general.

“I look forward to our close cooperation on the shared interests between the USA and the Netherlands,” he wrote.

Wilders tweeted a simpler message in capital letters above a screengrab of a Fox News projection. “Always keep fighting and win elections,” he said, although as a two-term president Trump will not be eligible to stand again.

Congratulations to @realDonaldTrump on winning the presidential election. The United States is an important ally for the Netherlands, both bilaterally and in international contexts such as NATO. I look forward to our close cooperation on the shared interests between the USA and…

— Dick Schoof (@MinPres) November 6, 2024

CONGRATULATIONS PRESIDENT TRUMP!

CONGRATULATIONS AMERICA!

NEVER STOP, ALWAYS KEEP FIGHTING AND WIN ELECTIONS!

💪💪💪 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 💪💪💪#Election2024 #Trump2024 #Trump #USA2024 pic.twitter.com/kJIKDvLScA

— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) November 6, 2024

Rutte, in his new capacity as head of Nato, also said he had personally congratulated Trump. “His leadership will again be key to keeping our alliance strong,” he wrote.

By 10am CET Trump was still a few electoral college votes short of officially being declared the winner of the election, but all projections pointed to him winning a majority of the seven key “swing states” needed to defeat Kamala Harris.

Congratulations pour in

World leaders including European commission president Ursula von der Leyen, French president Emmanuel Macron and British prime minister also congratulated the former president on his victory.

So too did Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Alexander Lukashenko, long-term president of Belarus and a close ally of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Other Dutch politicians were less enthusiastic, including Dilan Yesilgöz, Rutte’s successor as leader of the right-wing liberal VVD, the second largest party in the coalition.

“The future will show what this means for the United States’ relations with Europe, Ukraine, Russia and the Middle East. And with it what that means for our own security and prosperity,” she wrote.

“An extra incentive to ensure the Netherlands, and Europe, stand on their own two feet as soon as possible.”

I just congratulated @realDonaldTrump on his election as President of the United States. His leadership will again be key to keeping our Alliance strong. I look forward to working with him again to advance peace through strength through #NATO.

— Mark Rutte (@SecGenNATO) November 6, 2024

Het lijkt sterk op een overwinning voor Donald Trump. De toekomst zal uitwijzen wat dat betekent voor de opstelling van de VS richting Europa, Oekraine, Rusland, het Midden Oosten. En daarmee wat dat betekent voor onze eigen veiligheid en welvaart. Een extra aansporing om ervoor…

— Dilan Yesilgöz – Zegerius (@DilanYesilgoz) November 6, 2024

“Convicted criminal”

Frans Timmermans, leader of the main opposition group GroenLinks-PvdA, said there were “big concerns” about Trump’s potential impact on the constitution, rights of women and minorities, international security, the climate and the global economy.

“Europe must choose faster and more decisively in favour of closer co-operation to preserve what is precious to us: freedom, peace and solidarity in a society where everyone has equal rights and equal opportunities,” he said.

Rob Jetten, of the progressive liberal party D66, was less restrained in his response, condemning the election of a “convicted criminal” as president.

“A misogynist who wants to take away hard-won freedoms such as abortion. A man who openly flirts with dictators. What lies ahead is years of chaos, division and recklessness,” he tweeted.

Amerika heeft gekozen. Er zijn grote zorgen over wat Trump van plan is met de rechtsstaat, de rechten van vrouwen en minderheden, vrede en veiligheid, het klimaat en de wereldeconomie. 1/2

— Frans Timmermans (@F__Timmermans) November 6, 2024

Trump, een veroordeelde crimineel, wordt president van de VS. Een vrouwenhater die verworven vrijheden, zoals abortus, weer wil afnemen. Een man die openlijk flirt met dictators. Wat voor ons ligt, zijn jaren van chaos, verdeeldheid en roekeloosheid.

Deze verkiezingsuitslag legt… pic.twitter.com/HmF5CIVL7J

— Rob Jetten (@RobJetten) November 6, 2024