AFP: Rightist Dutch government dealt Senate blow
The coalition that Geert Wilder’s Far Right PVV party is in has become slightly less effective as they’ve shrunk to 35 out of 75 seats..
The rightist Dutch government, backed by an anti-Islam party, appeared headed Wednesday for a historic minority in the Senate which analysts have warned could paralyse its policy-making.
An exit poll from the provincial vote gave 35 out of 75 Senate seats to an alliance of the pro-business, liberal VVD party, the Christian Democratic Action (CDA) and the Party for Freedom (PVV) of controversial anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders.
That is three short of the majority required to pass laws through the veto-wielding Senate — the first time since 1918 that a Dutch government will find itself in such a position.
Individually, the poll conducted by market research company Synovate said the VVD should get 16 seats (up from 14 in 2007), the CDA 10 (down from 21) and the PVV, which took part in its first-ever provincial elections, nine.