NETHERLANDS: Dutch vote in key election for Europe

Dutch voters cast their ballots on Wednesday in a crucial legislative election, with pollsters predicting a close result and a fragmented parliament. The vote, which has been overshadowed by a diplomatic dispute  between the Netherlands and Turkey, has essentially come down to a tight race between Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s centre-right party and that of […]

Dutch voters cast their ballots on Wednesday in a crucial legislative election, with pollsters predicting a close result and a fragmented parliament.
The vote, which has been overshadowed by a diplomatic dispute  between the Netherlands and Turkey, has essentially come down to a tight race between Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s centre-right party and that of far-right, anti-Islam populist’s Geert Wilders.
In advance of the vote, opinion polls showed Rutte’s liberal VVD narrowly leading the race, and even if Wilders’ PVV emerges as the biggest party in parliament, it is unlikely to obtain the majority of the 150 seats enabling it to form a government. Most parties have pledged not to govern with the PVV.
Most polls opened at 7:30am (06:30 GMT), and closed at 9pm (20:00 GMT). Overall, there are some 13 million eligible voters, while 28 parties are competing for the 150 seats in the Dutch lower house of parliament.