Netherlands election 2017: The Results: VVD wins 33 seats but coalition partner Labour is hammered / Dutch election offers huge relief for other EU governments / Dutch elections: big winner proves to be GreenLeft

Results and analysis of the general election in the Netherlands held on the 15 March 2017.

The incumbent Prime minister Mark Rutte claimed victory for his VVD party (People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy) following the Dutch general election held on the 15 March 2017. His party was likely to secure 33 seats in the 150 seat lower house of the Dutch parliament.

As was common in the Dutch political system a coalition of various political parties would need to be negotiated over the next few weeks to form a viable government.

The anti-EU and anti-Muslim politician Geert Wilders and his PVV (Freedom Party) obtained 20 seats which was seen as a partial defeat for Mr Wilders and his populist style of politics.

Mr Rutte said that the result showed that 'the Netherlands, after Brexit, after the American elections, said ‘stop’ to the wrong kind of populism'

ESO: Key source: Dutch general election, 2017 http://www.europeansources.info/record/dutch-general-election-2017/

ESO: Find further information on this topic in ESO http://www.europeansources.info/advSearchLink?keyword=netherlands%20parliamentary%20election%202017%20&searchOption=all

EurActiv, 16.03.17: Dutch election offers huge relief for other EU governments http://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/dutch-election-offers-huge-relief-for-other-eu-governments/

EUObserver, 16.03.17: PM Rutte wins Dutch election, Wilders contained https://euobserver.com/elections/137258

Politico, 16.03.17: How to lose but win: 5 takeaways from the Dutch election http://www.politico.eu/article/how-to-lose-but-win-5-takeaways-from-the-dutch-election-mark-rutte-geert-wilders/

Deutsche Welle, 16.03.17: European leaders breathe easier as Rutte routs Wilders http://dw.com/p/2ZGN9

BBC News, 16.03.17: Dutch election: Wilders defeat celebrated by PM Rutte http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39287689

The Guardian, 16.03.17: Dutch elections: big winner proves to be GreenLeft https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/15/dutch-elections-greenleft-jesse-klaver

Euro|Topics: Debates, March 2017: A slap in the face for right-wing populists? http://www.eurotopics.net/en/176150/a-slap-in-the-face-for-right-wing-populists

The Correspondent, 16.03.17: The Dutch Donald Trump wasn’t stopped, he was copied https://thecorrespondent.com/6426/the-dutch-donald-trump-wasnt-stopped-he-was-copied

Blog: VoteWatch Europe, 16.03.17: Dutch elections 2017: Conservative turn with rejection of radical parties http://www.votewatch.eu/blog/dutch-elections-2017-conservative-turn-with-rejection-of-fringe-parties/

Carnegie Europe: Strategic Europe, 16.03.17: The Dutch Buck the Populist Trend http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/68293?lang=en

Blog: Open Europe, 16.03.17: The EU could learn from Dutch PM Mark Rutte on how to stop the populist tide http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/the-eu-could-learn-from-dutch-pm-mark-rutte-on-how-to-stop-the-populist-tide/

Dutch News.nl, 17.03.17: Dutch election aftermath: coalition options and the influence of alt-right http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2017/03/dutch-election-aftermath-coalition-options-and-the-influence-of-alt-right/

Euro|Topics: Debates, March 2017: Post-election Netherlands: which parties will govern? http://www.eurotopics.net/en/176236/post-election-netherlands-which-parties-will-govern

The Conversation, 16.03.17: Dutch election: why Geert Wilders failed to destroy the mainstream government https://theconversation.com/dutch-election-why-geert-wilders-failed-to-destroy-the-mainstream-government-74710

Dutch News.nl, 20.03.17: Rutte seeks ‘stable’ coalition of four parties for next cabinet http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2017/03/rutte-seeks-stable-coalition-of-four-parties-for-next-cabinet/

openDemocracy: Can Europe Make It?, 18.03.17: Dutch elections: little to celebrate https://www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/marijn-nieuwenhuis-sara-salem/dutch-elections-little-to-celebrate

EUObserver, 23.03.17: [Opinion] Rutte courted Wilders' voters, now he must deliver https://euobserver.com/opinion/137343

ECFR: Commentary, 21.03.17: No country for old moderates http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_no_country_for_old_moderates_7252

Dutch News.nl, 23.03.17: VVD, CDA, D66 and GroenLinks agree to talk further on new cabinet http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2017/03/vvd-cda-d66-and-groenlinks-agree-to-talk-further-on-new-cabinet/

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