Early results in the Dutch election are showing Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) has won 31 out of the 150 seats available and it’s enough to put them in the lead.

The three parties nearest to them have each won 19 seats and include Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom (PVV), the Christian Democrats and the D66 Party. This is despite the PVV party leading in the polls until just a few weeks ago, when their popularity began to slip.

Voter turnout was expected to be high for the vote but experts are saying it could have reached as high as 80 percent. The VVD will still have to form a coalition government with other leading parties before securing a majority.

Party campaigners, however, are clearly pleased with the early exit poll results. One Rutte campaigner told reporters that voters have given “trust again” to the ruling VVD party.

Analysts had been watching the Dutch vote closely for signs of which way the populist wind was blowing in Europe. This was the first of three votes to take place in Europe this year. Next month is France’s turn, with Germany going to the polls in September.

Source :Morocco World News