THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Just days away from an election in which he hopes to secure a third term, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte didn’t want to be seen as backing down to Turkish threats. However, the prime minister may have bolstered his image as a tough leader amid an electoral battle with far-right populist Geert Wilders. “Rutte is a key player in this because he is prime minister,” Krouwel said in a telephone interview. But Krouwel said that Wilders’ views on immigration and integration have been known for years by Dutch voters and so he may not profit. Meanwhile, leftist parties aiming to campaign on economic issues like job creation, the economy and health care are likely to suffer from the focus on Turkey, Krouwel said.

Source: Washington Post March 12, 2017 13:39 UTC