Whats at stake in the Dutch elections?

[brooklynite]

Washington Post:

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The Netherlands goes to the polls Wednesday in elections for the 150-seat lower house of parliament. A look at the key players and issues:

WHAT’S AT STAKE? The election is seen as a test of far-right populism ahead of national elections in far bigger European nations, France and Germany, where populists also are polling strongly. In the Netherlands, it’s about what kind of coalition will run the country for the next four years and whether anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders can win enough seats to force his way into coalition talks.

WHO’S IN THE RUNNING? Prime Minster Mark Rutte of the right-wing VVD party holds a narrow lead in polls over Wilders’ Party for Freedom. But while Rutte is leading, his party is set to lose seats and Wilders looks likely to increase the size of his parliamentary bloc compared to five years ago. But other parties also are making gains — including the increasingly right-wing Christian Democrats, the pro-European Union liberal democrats D66, and the left-wing Green Left party led by 30-year-old Jesse Klaver. The 12.9 million voters are spoiled for choice in the country’s splintered political landscape: A total of 28 parties are fielding candidates.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN ISSUES? Wilders’ anti-Islam, anti-European Union platform and the reaction of mainstream parties to his one-page manifesto have dominated campaigning. Wilders wants to close Dutch borders to immigrants from Muslim countries, shut mosques and ban the Quran, as well as take the Netherlands out of the EU. That radical platform goes too far for mainstream parties, but many have moved to the right in an attempt to appeal to Wilders voters. Other issues like the economy, health care and the environment have likewise been overshadowed by the populist agendas. In the final days of campaigning, the diplomatic crisis with Turkey over the past week and Rutte’s handling of it has also taken center stage.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Unofficial results should be known by late Wednesday or early Thursday. The official result will not be published by the country’s electoral commission until March 21. A day later, the old lower house will meet for the last time and on March 23 new lawmakers will be installed.

Fun facts: any Party with 0.63% of the national vote receives Parliamentary representation. There is no "right" of the first-place Party to form a Government; whomever can cobble together a majority from among the range of Parties wins.

Current polling (expected seats):
VVD (Ruling Coalition: center-right): 27
PVV (Anti immigrant/Euro-skeptic): 24
CDA (Christian Democrat): 21
Green: 19
D66: (progressive): 16
Socialist: 14

[Wounded Bear]

1. Geo-politically, it's largely symbolic...

but it is representative of what is going on around the globe. Brexit was perhaps the first major emanation of the RW basically racist agenda of ethno-nationalism. Trump was another, even bigger example of that type of sentiment taking over a major country. It also, of course, is an example of whether a country can fight back against Putinism and Russian influence.

Holland isn't the biggest country in Europe, but it will cast a shadow on upcoming elections in France and Germany, which are the two most significant countries in the EU.

Hopefully, we will see a surge of interest among liberal democratic types to get out and vote and counter the far right extremism that is threatening the world in the new century.

[anneboleyn]

2. Wilders is another Putin puppet, and he is funded by huge amounts of foreign $$$. I watched

a documentary about on him on YouTube (I believe it was done by the BBC). It was very eye-opening as to how Wilders and what he represents are always described as "grass roots" nationalism and anti-immigrant sentiment as though it all rises up from angry Dutch workers. But Wilders is really a top-down phenomenon -- he is funded with foreign $$$ (huge amounts of it apparently), and he is definitely a Pooty-puppet. Putin wants to destabilize the EU so he can run over Ukraine and anything else he sets in his sights, and getting idiots like Wilders in power -- and even worse Marine Le Pen in France -- will achieve his goals.

Wilders actually made himself over into a "national socialist" type of candidate. There are pictures of him when he was a younger man and when he was a college student, and he always had medium-brown hair. When he decided to become some sort of aryan fantasy he began bleaching and coloring his hair to this weird platinum blonde shade <rolls eyes>

[Wounded Bear]

3. Sadly, a lot of that money is coming from the US, too...

Our RW fundies are helping him, too.

Hopefully, the Dutch people have become more aware of this crap. At least it looks like they are taking steps to try and insulate their election mechanics from tampering.

Best of luck to them.

[Initech]

4. Our RW fundies are the real terrorist threat to the world.

And so is Putin.

[KittyWampus]

10. Look, the Far Right has been in Europe forever. In Germany, Holland. DU'ers just woke up

There was a hell of a lot going on well before Brexit.

[Wounded Bear]

11. Yes, it has...

I was not saying it was new. I was just saying that it has had recent major successes. That part is new.

Hell, this shit can trace directly back to the mid-20th Century nazi/fascist regimes, and farther back from them.

Right wing "populism" has ancient roots.

[Jeroen]

5. I consider voting VVD (center right) although I am progressive

Strategic vote against Wilders.

[brooklynite]

6. Isn't the assumption that VVD, CDA and D66 will form a coalition?

[Jeroen]

7. Yes, but the VVD needs to win the election to block the PVV

it also requires a fourth party. These three alone cannot get a majority
The election has become unpredictable because of the crisis with Turkey.

[brooklynite]

8. My understanding is that coming in first doesn't bestow the right to form a Govt

It's whichever Party or coalition can assemble a majority. None of the main Parties have ever been willing to coalesce with PVV.

[Jeroen]

13. If the PVV wins the election, Wilders will be asked to start the coalition process.

Traditionally, the winner gets the initiative. Most likely he will not be able to form a coalition, but it could takes months before he gives in.

[brooklynite]

9. UPDATE: PVV drops to 5th place in last poll before Election.

VVD: 29 (+2)
D66: 20 (+4)
Green: 20 (+1)
CDA: 19 (-2)
PVV: 16 (-8)
Socialist: 14

[Wounded Bear]

12. Typically, real exposure is seldom good for those types...

all the world wide news reports on their kind of movement is getting opposition support.

Good.

[Jeroen]

14. This is such a relief!