Monday 22 July 2019

Personal votes should carry more weight in elections, says reform committee

Personal votes should carry more weight in elections, says reform committee

The government is considering plans to give more weight to votes for individual candidates in Dutch elections so that MPs have a stronger personal mandate. A committee convened last December to look at constitutional reform recommended the measure as a way of creating stronger links between voters and their elected representatives. Voters would also have more options on the ballot paper, including voting for a party without naming a specific individual or stating a preference for a candidate from their... More >

Dutch buck EU trend - fewer Eurosceptics

Dutch buck EU trend - fewer Eurosceptics

The Netherlands has bucked the trend in most of Europe by electing fewer Eurosceptics to the European parliament in this week’s elections, according to preliminary results based on 98% of the votes. The votes for the Netherlands give the social democratic PvdA six of the 26 Dutch seats in the European parliament. In second place is the ruling right-wing Liberal party of prime minister Mark Rutte with 4, a rise of one. This is one more than the NOS exit... More >

'Rutte, Baudet size each other up on TV'

'Rutte, Baudet size each other up on TV'

The eve of the European elections saw two television debates take place – one between the 12 main party campaign leaders and one between prime minister Mark Rutte and Forum voor Democratie leader Thierry Baudet. The second debate between the two parties which are poised to do best in the polls was a first in modern Dutch political history and inevitably stole the limelight. ‘That the cock fights generated more excitement than the over-crowed chicken run was no surprise,’ NRC... More >

The Netherlands votes for its European MPs

The Netherlands votes for its European MPs

The Netherlands goes to the polls on Thursday to elect the 26 Dutch members of the European parliament. Polling stations opened at 7.30, although some opened overnight, and will close this evening at 9pm. The results will not be announced until Sunday, but there will be exit polls on Thursday evening, giving an indication of how the Netherlands voted. Who to vote for? Our guide to the Dutch parties Polling stations have been opened in a number of unusual places,... More >

EU elections: television debate round-up

EU elections: television debate round-up

Prime minister Mark Rutte and Forum voor Democratie leader Thierry Baudet are to meet each other for a head to head debate in front of the television cameras on Wednesday evening on the eve of the European elections. The hastily arranged debate is the result of a spate of social media challenges between the two, described by Financieele Dagblad correspondent Ria Cats as a ‘verbal display of muscle flexing’ similar to that used by legendary boxers George Foreman and Muhammad... More >

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