[12] Numerous reforms were also expected across areas such as welfare and health, as emphasised by NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt during the election campaign, similar to addressing issues having surfaced in the aftermath of the Dutch childcare benefits scandal.

However, its nitrogen bill met resistance from several opposition parties, including the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB), which was founded in 2019 and entered the House of Representatives after winning one seat in the 2021 elections.

Its popularity grew quickly, and the BBB emerged as the largest party in the 2023 provincial elections, which also saw heavy losses for the ruling coalition.

[20] The government resigned on 7 July 2023 after the four parties failed to agree on a proposed limitation of family reunification for refugees fleeing armed conflict.

[3][21] The coalition government led by Mark Rutte collapsed ahead of the anticipated November elections due to irreconcilable disagreements on migration issues.

[22] The dispute arose from Rutte's proposal to tighten restrictions on the reunification of asylum seekers' families, aiming to reduce the number of migrants following a previous scandal involving overcrowded migration centers.

[28] On 10 July 2023, Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced he would not run again as lead candidate for the VVD, and would leave politics when a new cabinet was sworn in.

Other party leaders and parliamentary leaders also announced they would not return, including Sigrid Kaag (D66), Wopke Hoekstra, Pieter Heerma (both CDA),[29] Attje Kuiken (PvdA),[30] Kees van der Staaij (SGP),[31] Farid Azarkan (Denk),[32] Liane den Haan (independent),[33] Nilüfer Gündoğan (independent),[34] and Sylvana Simons (BIJ1).

The debates were broadcast in real-time and were held with a select group of young people present, who, in addition to the viewers on the YouTube live stream, asked the candidates various questions.

[83] Thierry Baudet, founder and leader of the far-right[84] Forum for Democracy (FvD) was attacked with an umbrella upon his arrival at Ghent University on 26 October 2023,[85][86] resulting in a mild concussion.

[89][90] The Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB) established a lead in the polls following its victory in the 2023 Dutch provincial elections, but started to decline in May 2023, and further declined when Pieter Omtzigt announced he would contest the election with his newly established party New Social Contract (NSC), which immediately performed well in the polls at the expense of BBB.

[99] Some politics journalists opined that Wilders was able to build wider support by softening some of his statements after VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz suggested she might include the PVV in negotiations and declaring in a debate that he would be "a Prime Minister for all Dutch people".

[102] The Farmer–Citizen Movement saw a decline from their peak in the provincial elections in March, with many of their voters going towards NSC or PVV, for issues around nitrogen emissions were only a minor topic in the campaign.

He was also praised by far-right leaders across Europe such as Marine Le Pen, Matteo Salvini, André Ventura, Alice Weidel, Tom Van Grieken, and Santiago Abascal.

On 28 May, civil servant Dick Schoof (independent) was nominated as Prime Minister after Ronald Plasterk withdrew over integrity concerns.