THE HAGUE: Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte easily defeated a strong challenge by far-right rival Geert Wilders in key elections seen as a bellwether of populist support in Europe, partial vote counts said Thursday. Millions of Dutch flocked to the polls in a near-record turnout, with the stakes high in an election pitting the pro-European Rutte against his anti-immigration and anti-EU rival. “This was the evening when The Netherlands, after Brexit and the American elections, said ‘stop’ to the wrong kind of populism,” Rutte told cheering supporters. The PVV won 15 seats in the 2012 elections, which had slipped to 12 in the outgoing parliament. “We won seats.

Source: Manila Times March 16, 2017 02:48 UTC