Posted on 03/07/2002 2:19:09 PM PST by knighthawk
A new right-wing party appears to have made strong gains in Dutch local elections, two months before the country votes for a new government.
Parties belonging to the national government coalition have lost about 12% of their regional seats, news agency AP reported.
The right-leaning Leefbaar Nederland (Liveable Netherlands) was the major winner, AP says, scoring landslide victories in some areas.
The movement has a strong anti-immigration agenda.
In Rotterdam, an outspoken former leader of the group is reported to have gained more than one third of the votes, making Leefbaar Nederland the largest party on the city council.
Anti-Muslim comments
Analysts say that the party - which was launched in 1998 - will now almost certainly win seats in the general election on 15 May.
Pim Fortuyn ran as the party's candidate in Rotterdam despite being ousted as its leader for making anti-Muslim comments.
He has since launched his own national party which will field candidates in the general election.
But other parties in Rotterdam have sworn not to share power with him.
Mr Fortuyn, a former sociology professor and outspoken homosexual, had to be escorted by police to the polling station to cast his vote as protesters demonstrated outside his home.
Low turnout
The turnout for the elections was 57.7% - slightly below the turnout of 58.9% four years ago.
In Eindhoven, a group affiliated to Leefbaar Nederland won nearly 19% of the vote.
The leading opposition Christian Democratic Alliance and the Greens also won small gains across the country.
The national government coalition consists of the leading Labour Party under Prime Minister Wim Kok, the Liberal VVD and the left-of-centre Democrats 66.
Pim Fortuyn in Rotterdam during the elections
More data:
Total local seats (national total):
Local parties: 2500 seats (8,5% gain)
CDA: 2512 seats, 86 seats gained
PvdA: 1455 seats, 231 seats lost
VVD: 1504 seats, 156 seats lost
D'66: 278 seats, 54 seats lost
Rotterdam, since 1945 governed by the PvdA, number is total seats in local government:
PvdA (socialists): from 15 to 11 seats
VVD (liberal): from 9 to 4 seats
CDA (conservatice): from 6 to 5 seats
SP (socialists): from 4 to 1 seat
Groen Links (socialists): from 4 to 3 seats
D'66 (liberal): from 3 to 2 seats
Pim Fortuyn (newly formed): from 0 to 17 seats
Polls on local election, number is seats in government (Tweede Kamer, total 150 seats):
PvdA: from 45 to 37 seats
VVD: from 38 to 27 seats
CDA: from 29 to 30 seats
D'66: from 14 to 8 seats
Groen Links: from 11 to 9 seats
SP: from 5 to 6 seats
Christian Union: from 5 to 7 seats
SGP: from 3 to 2
Livable Netherlands (new): from 0 to 6 seats
List Fortuyn (new( from 0 to 18 seats
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Because The Constitution Still Matters - Freepathon Thread 2
I have very good Dutch friends in Scheveningen. I have noticed that their sons (early thirties) are much more conservative than the parents.
They are especially unhappy with the rate of taxation and the numerous government programs. Could this be a generational shift beginning?
By the way: The facists lost badly in the local elections.
He's got my vote in the next elections!
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