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| Dutch election: PM Rutte's party leads exit polls | Dutch election: PM Rutte's party leads exit polls |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's party has won the most seats in parliamentary elections, first exit polls say. | Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's party has won the most seats in parliamentary elections, first exit polls say. |
| His centre-right VVD Party won 31 out of 150 seats, polls suggest. | His centre-right VVD Party won 31 out of 150 seats, polls suggest. |
| His party came far ahead of the next three parties, including Geert Wilders' anti-immigration Freedom Party (PVV), the Christian Democrats and the D66 Party, which each got 19 seats. | His party came far ahead of the next three parties, including Geert Wilders' anti-immigration Freedom Party (PVV), the Christian Democrats and the D66 Party, which each got 19 seats. |
| Mr Wilders' party had been leading in opinion polls but support for the party appeared to slip in recent days. | Mr Wilders' party had been leading in opinion polls but support for the party appeared to slip in recent days. |
| Voter participation in the general election was high - and experts say the final turnout may exceed 80%. | Voter participation in the general election was high - and experts say the final turnout may exceed 80%. |
| Analysts say a high turnout may have benefited pro-EU and liberal parties. | Analysts say a high turnout may have benefited pro-EU and liberal parties. |
| A campaign leader for Mr Rutte's party said the voters had given "trust again" to the VVD. | A campaign leader for Mr Rutte's party said the voters had given "trust again" to the VVD. |
| Many had been watching the vote in the Netherlands closely, as an indication for how populist parties may fare in other elections in EU countries. | Many had been watching the vote in the Netherlands closely, as an indication for how populist parties may fare in other elections in EU countries. |
| France goes to the polls next month to elect a new president, while Germany is due to hold a general election in September. | France goes to the polls next month to elect a new president, while Germany is due to hold a general election in September. |
| Martin Schulz, president of the European Parliament until earlier this year, said he was "relieved" Mr Wilders' party had lost. | Martin Schulz, president of the European Parliament until earlier this year, said he was "relieved" Mr Wilders' party had lost. |
| "We must continue to fight for an open and free Europe!" he added on Twitter (in German). | "We must continue to fight for an open and free Europe!" he added on Twitter (in German). |
| However, Mr Wilders warned that Mr Rutte "has not see the last of me". | However, Mr Wilders warned that Mr Rutte "has not see the last of me". |
| He previously said that the "patriotic revolution" would continue to take place, and "the genie will not go back into the bottle". | He previously said that the "patriotic revolution" would continue to take place, and "the genie will not go back into the bottle". |
| Champagne but no fizz: Anna Holligan, BBC News, the Hague | |
| Pharrell Williams' song Happy pumped out across a conference hall converted to host the victorious VVD. | |
| "Of course he'll still be prime minister," a loyal party member with black rimmed glasses told us. "He's the best man for the job." | |
| Entry to the gathering was invitation only. Most of the foreign press were contained in a side room. The champagne was flowing but there wasn't much fizz. The mild-mannered, measured Mark Rutte has been given a mandate. | |
| He will say he stopped the "dominos of populism" from falling, but to do that he shifted himself to occupy the populists' territory, talking tough on immigration and integration. | |
| As parliamentary seats are allocated in exact proportion to a party's vote share, the VVD party will need to go into coalition with other parties. | As parliamentary seats are allocated in exact proportion to a party's vote share, the VVD party will need to go into coalition with other parties. |
| The VVD had ruled out a coalition with the Freedom Party - but the other two runners-up, the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party, and the Democrats 66 (D66) party, might work with the VVD. | The VVD had ruled out a coalition with the Freedom Party - but the other two runners-up, the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party, and the Democrats 66 (D66) party, might work with the VVD. |
| The VVD will need at least three other parties before it can secure a majority. | The VVD will need at least three other parties before it can secure a majority. |
| Hence, the other smaller parties will be seen as potential power-brokers. | Hence, the other smaller parties will be seen as potential power-brokers. |
| Exit polls suggest the Green-Left party performed strongly, winning a total of 16 seats, while the Socialist Party took 14. | |
| The VVD's previous coalition partner, the Labour Party, saw its number of seats plunge from 38 to nine. | |
| Analysts said it appeared to have been punished for its role in the coalition government, where it helped pass austerity measures. | |
| Exit poll results: |