Dutch election: Netherlands rejects religious politics in decisive election

In the first major election of the year in Europe, the people of Netherlands rejected religious populism promoted by the leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV) Geert Wilders. Before the election, many of the polls predicted that Mr. Wilders’ PVV would emerge as the largest party in the country which could have put everything in limbo. Mr. Wilders ran on an anti-Islamic platform. However, as the counting began shortly after the voting was over by 9 pm GMT, it became clear that this election is not Mr. Wilders.

With 93.5 percent of all votes counted, the ruling VVD party led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte is set to win 33 seats, while Mr. Wilder’s PVV will secure 20 seats. Two other large parties; Christian Democrats (CDA) and Democrats 66 are set to win 19 seats each.

There is a sigh of relief in Brussels, where European left-wing policymakers had feared the worst. The election outcome would bring winds of enthusiasm for liberal candidates in the upcoming elections in Europe; French and German. The outcome of the Dutch election could influence the pricing of the odds in the upcoming French election.

European single currency, which was already boosted by US Federal Reserve’s no up gradation in the interest rate outlook, has reached the highest level in more than five months on the election outcome. The euro is currently trading at 1.072 against the dollar.