Dutch Election Thread

[Jonathanholland 5,429]

Voters in the Netherlands will head to the polls to elect their new government today. I made a thread to discuss the Dutch election in general.. I will update the thread with new polls and other news too. 

This years election is looked at closely from all over the world because it is seen as an indicator of populist sentiment across Europe. After Brexit and the election of Donald Trump, the Dutch will be the next in line to make up their minds about their future. With elections in Germany and France this year as well, the Dutch election is seen as an important indicator for wider political (populist) trends. 

The system: 

The Dutch parliament has 150 seats. The seats will be divided by the % of votes for a party nationwide (There is no system of districts).  To rule, a party needs 76 seats in parliament to get a majority. Because one single party never succeeds to get a majority on it's own,  it has to form a coalition with other parties in order to get a majority. 

This year a striking 28 party's are running in the campaign, splintering the Dutch political landscape. Polls indicate an extremely close race between five parties in particular. This is what you need to know about them: 

VVD

The Prime Minister Mark Rutte's party for Freedom and Democracy is leading the polls with a small margin. The conservative party has been ruling the Netherlands together with the labor party since 2012. These are their most important points: 

- Safety 

- Pro-European Union 

- Less taxation for the rich 

PVV

The most important opponent of prime minister Rutte is Geert Wilders' populist Freedom Party. Wilders is well known for his anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric. Because no other party wants to form a coalition with Geert Wilders, it's very unlikely he can get a majority in parliament. So even when he wins, it's almost certain he won't rule. His most important points: 

- The Netherlands should leave the EU (Nexit) 

- The Borders should be closed

- The Koran should be forbidden 

- Mosques should be closed and Muslim immigrants should be banned 

- There should be a tax for wearing an Hijab 

CDA

The conservative Christian Democrats have been rising in the polls lately. Their most important points: 

- Dutch values should be more important again 

- Their should be a military conscription 

- Anti-abortion

- Anti-euthanasia 

D66

The Democrats are the 4th party in the polls. The Democrats want: 

- Legalization of soft-drugs 

- voluntary euthanasia >75 years old 

- Pro-European Union 

- pro- binding referendum 

- Education 

- a clean environment 

GroenLinks

The last important party is the socialist party of Jesse Klaver. His party went from 4 out of 150 seats in parliament now to at least 17 seats in the polls. They want: 

- a clean environment

- More equality (less difference between rich and poor) 

- More money to education 

- pro-EU

- More about the Dutch Elections: 

CNN: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/15/europe/netherlands-election-populism-rutte-wilders/index.html

BBC: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39275194

 

Total turn-out: 82% (74,6% 2012)

95% of the votes counted: 

VVD  33 (-8)
PvdA 9 (-29)
PVV 20 (+5)
SP 14 (-1)
CDA 19 (+6)
D66 19 (+7)
CU 5 (0)
GL 14 (+10)
SGP 3
PvdD 5 (+3)
50Plus 4 (+2)
Denk 3
FvD 2 

[lego 44,165]

Anyone but that fascist wilders. 

[Irrelevant 20,293]

19 minutes ago, JonathanHolland1 said:

PVV

The mest important opponent of prime minister Rutte is Geert Wilders' populist Freedom Party. Wilders is well known for his anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric. Because no other party wants to form a coalition with Geert Wilders, it's very unlikely he can get a majority in parliament. So even when he wins, it's almost certain he won't rule. His most important points: 

- The Netherlands should leave the EU (Nexit) 

- The Borders should be closed

- The Koran should be forbidden 

- Mosques should be closed and Muslim immigrants should be banned 

- Their should be a tax for wearing an Hijab 

Donald Trump + Brexit 

jk idk anything about politics 

[Luc 4,776]

Turnout 2% higher so far (13% -> 15%). I'm excited. GroenLinks and D66 won my school elections with over half the vote together  PVV only got 4%

 

ready for the SP-PvdA-GL-D66-CDA coalition

 

 

 

why did you forget to include the socialist party? they're as big as GroenLinks.

 

[053Timo 1,698]

8 minutes ago, Luc said:

ready for the SP-PvdA-GL-D66-CDA coalition

 

Please no

[Jonathanholland 5,429]

11 minutes ago, Luc said:

Turnout 2% higher so far (13% -> 15%). I'm excited. GroenLinks and D66 won my school elections with over half the vote together  PVV only got 4%

 

ready for the SP-PvdA-GL-D66-CDA coalition

 

 

 

why did you forget to include the socialist party? they're as big as GroenLinks.

 

May I ask what you're going to vote? I still don't know, it's between GroenLinks and D66. 

I chose the 5 biggest parties, SP isn't one of them if you look at the latest polls.

 

CDA obviously want's to rule together with VVD, so centre-left coalition won't happen 

[lego 44,165]

 

 

 

[JustinTrudeau 2,419]

2 hours ago, JonathanHolland1 said:

PVV

The most important opponent of prime minister Rutte is Geert Wilders' populist Freedom Party. Wilders is well known for his anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric. Because no other party wants to form a coalition with Geert Wilders, it's very unlikely he can get a majority in parliament. So even when he wins, it's almost certain he won't rule. His most important points: 

- The Netherlands should leave the EU (Nexit) 

- The Borders should be closed

- The Koran should be forbidden 

- Mosques should be closed and Muslim immigrants should be banned 

- There should be a tax for wearing an Hijab 

A tax? How do you tax people based on what they wear? They can just take it off to avoid taxes... oh, I get it. 

[Chromatislaps 34,854]

I just voted  

[Luc 4,776]

1 hour ago, JonathanHolland1 said:

May I ask what you're going to vote? I still don't know, it's between GroenLinks and D66. 

I chose the 5 biggest parties, SP isn't one of them if you look at the latest polls.

 

CDA obviously want's to rule together with VVD, so centre-left coalition won't happen 

It's very possible. The other option is GL joining a right-wing government which I don't see happening. 

Remember that Buma would be prime minister of that coalition. CDA definitely wouldn't mind that.

 

 

I can't vote but I got all people I know to vote as left-wing as possible. I would've voted GL if I could.

[Chromatislaps 34,854]

1 hour ago, lego said:

 

 

 

 

Not signed in

Russians at it again?  fvck them

[Jonathanholland 5,429]

Just voted

[OliverViennese 1,164]

When can we expect first results?

Spoiler

And why do the Netherlands vote on a Wednesday?

 

[Jonathanholland 5,429]

2 minutes ago, OliverViennese said:

When can we expect first results?

  Hide contents

And why do the Netherlands vote on a Wednesday?

 

1. 9 PM local time will be the first exit polls, then the votes will be counted through the night. I expect that around 11:30 pm we will know who won/lost etc. The exact percentage will follow in the morning

2. I believe it has something to di with the many religions. We always vote on wednesday 

[Luc 4,776]

1 hour ago, lego said:

 

 

 

probably too much traffic.

18 minutes ago, OliverViennese said:

When can we expect first results?

  Hide contents

And why do the Netherlands vote on a Wednesday?

 

there's more than enough polling places here. Voting isn't much of a struggle at all and only takes 10 minutes while commuting or taking a work break. I think this actually gets more people to vote.

 

Perched for the results. I live in a PVV stronghold (Schiedam), but I have faith in the rest of the country.