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By Paul Kirby & Anna Holligan. BBC News, The Hague
Veteran anti-Islam populist leader Geert Wilders is heading for a dramatic victory in the Dutch general election, according to an Ipsos exit poll.
After 25 years in parliament, his Freedom party (PVV) is heading for 35 seats, according to the poll, well ahead of his nearest rival, a left-wing alliance.
“The PVV can no longer be ignored,” he said. “We will govern.”
If confirmed the result will shake Dutch politics.
But to fulfil his pledge to be “prime minister for everyone”, he will have to persuade other parties to join him in a coalition. His target is 76 seats in the 150-seat parliament.
At a party meeting on Thursday, Mr Wilders, 60, was cheered and toasted by party members in a room crammed with TV cameras.
He told the BBC that “of course” he was willing to negotiate and compromise with other parties to become prime minister.
The PVV leader won after harnessing widespread frustration about migration, promising “borders closed” and putting on hold his promise to ban the Koran.
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