Friday, September 14, 2012

Liberals win Dutch legislative elections


The elections in The Netherlands have been marked by a victory for the liberals of VVD and of D66. In his victory speech to an ecstatic audience VVD leader Prime Minister Mark Rutte triumphantly said that “[we] obtained the best result in history, and again have become the largest party in The Netherlands.” D66 leader Alexander Pechtold MP claimed “the fifth victory in a row”, saying that “in the bizarre duel between left and right, D66 managed to grow nonetheless”. Together the liberal forces now hold more than one third of the entire political spectrum. LI President Hans van Baalen MEP has called the election result a “great achievement for the Dutch liberals”. He said: “The populists of Geert Wilders had to accept a heavy defeat. Its anti-international and anti-European campaign did not appeal to the electorate. Wilders and his party are sidelined”. LI President expressed confidence that “PM Mark Rutte will be able to build a strong centre coalition, in which both liberal parties take part.”

[Thanks to Liberal International newsletter for this]


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