Once all the votes from Wednesday's election have been counted, party leaders will have to negotiate the makeup of the next governing coalition.

With multiple parties, and with far-right politician Geert Wilders' PVV in the lead, the horse-trading could take several months.

It is not clear he will be able to garner the necessary support for a broad enough coalition to form a workable government.

All the leaders of the three other top parties have said they would not serve in a PVV-led coalition.

After the 2021 election, it took more than 271 days or nine months for them to put together a four-party arrangement.

That's despite the then-new coalition being the same as the previous.

Although it is the tradition, there is no guarantee that the party that wins the most seats will end up delivering the prime minister.

Rutte will remain in a caretaker role until a new government is installed, likely in the first half of 2024.

Once the coalition makeup is agreed upon, the parties sign a coalition agreement and the new government is tasked with setting out its plans in parliament, followed by a vote of confidence.