Dutch voters turned out in huge numbers to thwart the anti-Muslim leader Geert Wilders yesterday and halt the wave of populist successes that delivered Brexit and President Trump. Mark Rutte, the centre-right prime minister, emerged from a bitter election campaign with the highest number of parliamentary seats, according to exit polls. However, he lost nearly a quarter of his MPs and may struggle to form another coalition quickly. Labour, his ruling partner for the past five years, lost 28 of 38 MPs. The early count put the VVD party led by Mr Rutte, 50, in front with 32 seats after a late surge in support attributed to his tough stance on Turkey and a ban on President Erdogan’s ministers entering the Netherlands.

Source: The Times March 16, 2017 00:02 UTC