What Will Dutch Elections Mean for Afghanistan?

Sally McNamara / June 09, 2010

The Dutch electorate takes to the polls tomorrow, following the Government’s collapse in April. In fact, it was the fourth fallen Administration of Christian Democrat Jan Peter Balkenende—this time over claims that one coalition party withheld information from another. Quite simply, it looks as if the uneasy partnership between Labour and Christian Democrats finally gave way after much political infighting. The government’s declining enthusiasm to fulfill NATO’s request to extend the Dutch deployment to Afghanistan was merely a convenient scapegoat.

The polls have had almost every major contender leading the field at some point in the past eight weeks, including controversial right-winger Geert Wilders. However, his Party for Freedom’s initial early showing has slipped, showing them now finishing last in the latest national polling although still set to pick up more seats than at present. The front-runner to become Prime Minister and take a shot at forming a coalition looks set to be the youthful Mark Rutte, leader of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy. The classical liberal has already ruled out forming a coalition with Wilders’ and a three-way coalition is now likely with Labour and the Christian Democrats. (more…)