Holland elites are trying to silence Geert Wilders but the voting public can't be ignored - analysis by Millie Cooke

The GreenLeft-Labour party alliance (GL/PvdA) led by former EU commissioner Frans Timmermans came second with 25 seats.

Meanwhile, the liberal-conservative Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) got 24 seats.

Following his victory, Wilders said: "The PVV can no longer be ignored. We will govern."

But despite the rhetoric, his party has so far failed to form a coalition government.

Wilders, who became an influential force on Holland's political right through the promotion of anti-Islamic and anti-immigration views, has attracted criticism from parties on the other side of the negotiating table.

They have so far refused to enter into government with him.

The failed negotiations even led Wilders to personally rule himself out as prime minister. And yet, a deal still failed to be struck.

But when you look at the polling, there is some incentive for them to complete these negotiations. Perhaps that's why Franz Timmermans said he might do a deal with Wilders' party if a deal isn't done by June 1st.

The PVV November victory was unexpected. While many expected the party to do well, few expected Wilders to win.

But the latest polling is perhaps even more unexpected. Despite negotiations continuing to stall, support for Wilders has only increased.

According to Dutch pollster Maurice de Hond, 39 per cent of Dutch people would now consider voting for PVV.

If the talks collapse and voters are forced to go back to the polls, this would translate to the party winning 50 out of 150 seats. More than ten seats more than it won in November.

Wilders may not be popular with his fellow politicians - but it's clear that he is continuing to gain traction among the voting public in Holland.

As the tumultuous negotiations continue on, it may become increasingly difficult to ignore the growing support for Wilders' controversial platform.