IPSOS Rutte, 54, has been in power for more than a decade at the head of three different coalitions and could become the country’s longest-serving prime minister if he manages to form a new coalition.
The
However,
“A difference of two seats per party could happen more often. A difference of more than two seats cannot be completely ruled out,”
Counting votes at municipalities throughout the nation of more than 17 million is expected to last through the night.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
School gyms, churches, museums, concert halls and at least one windmill were pressed into service as voting centers by authorities looking for venues where people could vote safely amid rising infection rates. In
Caretaker Prime Minister
If his party emerges as the strongest when polls close at
His popularity rose sharply last year as he steered his country through the pandemic that has killed more than 16,000 people in
“Well, of course, that is a very difficult affair which we have to deal with going forward," Rutte said, adding that he took responsibility for it.
He stressed the pandemic as a campaign theme, after cycling to a primary school in
“The main question during these elections on the table is who best can lead this country forward through the crisis of corona and then make a new start with this country,” he said.
Anti-immigration lawmaker
“I don’t blame government for the virus, I blame them for not being prepared enough for that," Wilders said. "But especially for giving our country away, giving out values away, giving our culture away, giving our money away. And I believe that Dutch should go first.”
Voters also have other issues on their minds, from the climate to housing shortages, health care funding and
But for
“It is mainly, how do we move on? What steps are necessary? How do we ensure that our future generations are burdened as little as possible with the legacy of corona?” she said.
A pre-election version of the respected Peilingwijzer survey of different opinion polls predicted forecast Rutte’s party will win between 34 and 36 seats in the 150-seat lower house of parliament.
Wilders’ party is tipped to win 18-20 seats while the centrist D66 party, led by the country's minister for foreign trade and development cooperation,
Voting began Monday and Tuesday, ostensibly for people considered to be in high risk groups for the virus. People aged over 70 also had the option of mail-in voting.
The procedure for opening and counting postal votes had to be changed mid-election Tuesday after what the interior ministry called “procedural mistakes” by voters mailing in their ballots.
A record 37 parties are taking part in the election, with up to 17 forecast to garner enough votes to win at least one seat in parliament, up from 13 at the last election. That splintering of the political landscape is likely to make coalition formation negotiations a tough and lengthy process.
In
“I think voting in general is safe in this way because there’s a lot of space between everyone,” Kerstin said. "And for me it was mostly nice to do it on a bike because this is just a typical mainly Dutch thing and also an
Other voters took advantage of unusual polling places to revisit memories or see a museum for the first time in months because they have been closed during an extended lockdown.
Fleur Sleurheij, a 19-year-old from
“Well, my grandmother’s funeral was in this church, so it’s very special to be here today in such a different setting and to be able to vote for the first time," she said.
“It’s great to just see a little bit of museum and vote,” he said.
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