Netherlands begins early parliamentary elections
Early parliamentary elections have begun in the Netherlands. Polling stations opened at 7.30 am on Wednesday for the ballot, which became necessary following the break-up of the coalition led by long-time Prime Minister Mark Rutte. 26 parties are competing in the early election for the 150 parliamentary seats, which are allocated according to proportional representation.
Opinion polls fluctuated widely in the run-up to election day. Four candidates are considered to have a chance of taking the helm in the EU's fifth-largest economy: Dilan Yesilgöz is the leader of the center-right VVD party and Rutte's successor. Yesilgöz, who comes from Turkey herself, caused a stir with her willingness to form a government with the right-wing populist and Islamophobic Geert Wilders if necessary. Wilders' PVV has recently benefited from a sharp rise in the polls.
The NSC party, founded just three months ago by former Christian Democrat Pieter Omtzigt, aims to restore trust in politics after a series of scandals. Omtzigt seemed to be a clear favorite at first. However, support for him later seemed to wane as it was unclear whether he would accept the post of head of government if the worst came to the worst. Omtzigt had repeatedly stated that he did not want the office. In the end, he stated that he would lead a cabinet of experts, not politicians.
The center-left Groenlinks/PvdA alliance is relying on the experience of its lead candidate, former EU Commissioner Frans Timmermans. He also saw a surge in support in the final days before the election - political scientists attributed this to voters from the left-wing spectrum who would rally behind Timmermans' alliance to prevent a right-wing coalition.
Voterscast their ballots at various polling stations throughout the Netherlands during the parliamentary election. The election results in the Netherlands, with 150 parliamentary seats up for grabs, could potentially impact the leadership of the EU's fifth-largest economy.
Source: www.ntv.de
