The new era began in a meeting room that was too small to cope with the crowd. At one end, a crush of journalists – cameras bashing into each other, reporters craning for a sight. And at the other – the man who has just shaken Dutch politics to its core. Geert Wilders walked in to be greeted by the cheers of his colleagues. The room was allocated to his party when they only had 17 MPs; now they have more than double that. Little wonder the room was squashed. (Photo: Geert Wilders celebrates).

They toasted their success with champagne, and all raised a glass to the health of the Netherlands. During his campaign, Wilders said he would always put his country first. It isn’t quite “Make the Netherlands Great Again” but it’s not far off. Wilders has been in the public eye for decades now, but he’s never had a result like this. Not just the electoral victory that he craved, but a yawning margin over his rivals – 50% more seats than any other party. As his colleagues applauded, he beamed.

Age has changed him – the shock of peroxide blond hair is now grey – but he still exudes confidence. Even his opponents admit, at least in private, that Wilders is a gifted orator. We were at the far end of the room, jostling for space. A cameraman stood on a table next to me, which creaked under his weight. Questions had to be bellowed. People talked over each other, and MPs smiled at each other. For some, this was their first day in a new job, and the adrenaline was flowing. So, I shout, what is the thing you would now like to achieve?

“One of the most important things we would like to do is, of course, to limit the influx of asylum and migration,” Wilders replies. “That is one of the main themes that our campaign has tackled. That was certainly not the only theme, but also about what it means for our welfare. “Having more money in people’s pockets, receiving affordable and decent care, including care for the elderly. Having more safety on all those points on which we have campaigned is important to us. It is important for the Netherlands and we will remain grateful for a long time to come.”

We talked to Barry Madlener, who was first elected to parliament back in 2006 and now expresses a sense of shocked delight at the size of the victory. “People came to us – they could see what a mess the country had got into. We understand the important things, like the cost of living and migration. “I’m so happy for Geert,” he said, “because he has given so much for this. And you know, his life is not easy.” Wilders’ unapologetic populism, as well as his life-long campaign against the influence of Islam, have led to him needing round-the-clock police protection.

It also meant that, for election after election, he was kept out of power. Mark Rutte, the previous prime minister, made it an article of faith that he wouldn’t do a deal with Wilders. So what changed? In the Rotterdam district of Charlois, there is litter billowing around on the streets, blown by an icy wind. It’s the sort of weather where people walk around with their heads down. Here, we found lots of people who felt they’d been forgotten by politicians. Plenty told us they didn’t bother voting, “because nothing changes”. Those who did vote tended to go for Wilders.

‘Legitimacy’

Brian Held was walking his two young children. His brother has nowhere to live, and Brian is struggling with the cost of living. “Immigration is a big problem because we don’t have enough houses and it’s just getting worse,” he told me. Dr Linda Bos, an associate professor at the University of Amsterdam, thinks that by flagging up the mere prospect of a coalition, Rutte’s successor as head of the VVD, Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius, gave him the legitimacy Wilders had long lacked.

“They made him a serious partner – a serious option – and he played the part very well,” she said. “He’s calm, he’s charismatic and he’s very good in debates. He’s our best debater in general.” But for all the rhetorical skill and for all the glow of victory, Wilders still faces a struggle to turn electoral success into actual power. He will need to form a coalition to take control, and that won’t be easy. Both of his potential partners – the VVD and the newly-formed NSC party – will be very reluctant to work under him.

And rivals from the left will be suggesting their own versions of a coalition, trying to squeeze Wilders out of power even though he has the highest number of seats. The negotiations are likely to be protracted and difficult. But, for the moment at least, the Netherlands still reverberates to a political shock. After decades in the margins, Wilders has seized the brightest part of the limelight.

Courtesy: By Adam Parsons Europe correspondent @adamparsons