The top moments from the Dutch Elections Thu, March 16, 2017 Geert Wilders is battling the current Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Dutch Elections 2017 Play slideshow 1 of 30

Geert Wilders, from the anti-Islamist Party for Freedom (PVV), admitted defeat to Mr Rutte, from the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), last night. After coming second in the Dutch election, the blonde populist remained defiant and declared: "We were the 3rd largest party of the Netherlands. "Now we are the 2nd largest party. Next time we will be number 1!" The defeat of Mr Wilders comes as blow to anti-EU populists such as Front National leader Marine Le Pen who is running in the French presidential election later this spring. Mr Rutte said: "After Brexit, after the US elections, the [Dutch] people have said no to another country where the domino stone of the wrong side of populism would topple over." As the world reacts to the defeat of Mr Wilders, here is a look at alll the latest results, updates and breaking news from the Netherlands.

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Dutch election: Thursday March 16 3pm update GMT: Geert Wilders’ brother has warned the nationalist’s defeat could spark violence and chaos on the streets of the Netherlands. Paul Wilders, Geert’s older brother, revealed he thinks tensions could escalate dramatically across the country as Mark Rutte declares victory. The 62-year-old said his brother’s campaign, which proposed to shut down mosques and ban Muslim immigrants from the Netherlands, could cause chaos. 2.20pm GMT update: Finland’s foreign minister has weighed in on the election result. Eurosceptic Timo Soini says the smaller-than-expected gains for Mr Wilders shows a party must have a broad agenda to success. He said: "It shows how far a party with a narrow agenda can reach in an election... One should define a stance for fiscal policy, education policy, foreign policy and so forth. One must be a general party to succeed in election.” 1.46pm GMT update: Jeroen Dijsselbloem may have to stand down as president of the Eurogroup which coordinates policy in the eurozone if he cannot retain his role as Dutch finance minister in a new coalition after his party losing seats in yesterday’s election. The Labour Party crashed from second to seventh place in preliminary results, losing more than three quarters of its seats and making it hard for victorious liberal Prime Minister Mark Rutte to retain Mr Dijsselbloem in such a senior cabinet post. 1.21pm GMT update: As the row between Turkey and the Netherlands escalates, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan says Mark Rutte has lost the friendship of Ankara. 12.27pm GMT update: Theresa May has congratulated Mark Rutte, who claimed his victory over right-winger Geert Wilders was a defeat for the "wrong sort of populism" such as the Brexit vote. Theresa May spoke by telephone with Mr Rutte, who is now poised for a third term as prime minister after his success in Thursday's contest. Asked if Brexit was raised during the phone call, Downing Street said: "It was a conversation to congratulate him on the election." The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "There was a phone call around about 10.30 this morning. "It was a decision for the Dutch people, but we have long been friends and allies and worked well with him and we look forward to that continuing." 12.00pm GMT update: Leader of D66 party Alexander Pechtold tells the BBC, the election has stopped populism but not defeated it. 11.55am GMT update: Spanish president Mariano Rajoy joined EU leaders congratulating Mark Rutte. Mr Rajoy tweeted: “Congratulations to @markrutte for his victory, the Dutch for their responsibility and the @cdavandaag @EPP for their great work. MR”. 11.11am GMT update: Just to recap, with 97 per cent of votes counted, Mr Rutte's VVD Party had won 33 of parliament's 150 seats, down from 41 at the last vote in 2012. Mr Wilders was second with 20, and the CDA and centrist Democrats 66 tied for third with 19 each, data provided by the ANP news agency showed. Mr Rutte is now virtually guaranteed a third term, leading a government that can be expected to continue tightening immigration policy in the Netherlands, already among the strictest in the EU. 10am GMT update: EU leaders are jubilant at Mr Wilders’ loss as they try to stop the march of right-wing populism in France and Germany ahead of elections there. European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said the election was "a vote against extremists". 9.45am GMT update: Marine Le Pen's rival Emmanuel Macron has congratulated Mr Rutte as he tries to stop her from winning the French election. Mr Macron said: “The Netherlands is showing us a breakthrough for the extreme right is not a foregone conclusion and that progressives are gaining momentum.” Outgoing Francois Hollande: “The President warmly congratulates Mark Rutte for his clear victory against extremism.” 9.30am GMT: A Turkish-Dutch party has won its first ever seats in the Netherlands parliament as the Turkey row escalates. Denk, a party founded by Tunahan Kuzu and Selçuk Öztürk has become the first ever ethic minority party in the Dutch parliament. The party, which has long been accused of being a mouthpiece for Turkish president Recep Erdogan, won three seats in an election focused on immigration.

People want constructive and reliable politicians to govern their country. This is why Le Pen will also fail. https://t.co/iIjbvrgqqZ pic.twitter.com/4qM9jD8zuE — Guy Verhofstadt (@GuyVerhofstadt) March 16, 2017

9.15am GMT update: Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s Brexit negotiator, has welcomed the Dutch result and claims that Marine Le Pen will also fail in the French election. “People want constructive and reliable politicians to govern their country. This is why Le Pen will also fail,” he tweeted. 9am GMT update: Informal coalition talks begin today as Mr Rutte's VVD tries to form an alliance with other runners-up. The VVD has ruled out working with the PVV, meaning that Mr Wilders will be kept out of the new government despite coming second. Mr Rutte could end up in a coalition with the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and D66 who are expected to come joint third in the election. The Green Link party (GL) are the surprise winners of the election night and could end up playing the role of kingmaker in coalition talks.

Getty Prime Minister Mark Rutte has defeated right-wing populist Geert Wilders

06.46am GMT update: State of play this morning: Rutte’s VVD party expected to be the largest party with 33 seats – down from 41 in 2012.

Despite jumping from the third to the second biggest party, and winning an estimated 20 seats compared to 15 in 2012, Wilders’ PVV unlikely to be part of coalition talks as incumbent prime minister claims it's “impossible”.

CDA and D66 party joint predicted to finish joint third with estimated 19 seats each.

The Netherland’s Labour party (PvdA) has collapsed from 38 to an estimated nine seats.

Greens (GL) are the big winners – jumping from four to 14 seats.

The DENK party, founded by two Turkish-Dutch MPs who supported Erdogan over Rutte in the recent spat, predicted to win three seats in parliament. 06.25am GMT update: About 95 per cent of the vote has been counted now. Official results won’t be due to March 21 however. 06.15am GMT update: Geert Wilders is defiant in defeat. The right-wing firebrand has pledged to win the next election. He tweeted: "We were the 3rd largest party of the Netherlands. Now we are the 2nd largest party. Next time we will be number 1!" Wilders also claims his party have defied the exit polls and won 20 seats, as opposed to the expected 19. 03.39am GMT update: Municipal Gooise Lakes – a province in North Holland with a population of 57,000 – has voted overwhelming for the VDD. Rutte’s party win with 33.8 per cent. Next closest was the D66 on 18 per cent. 03.33am GMT update: Dutch news site rtlnieuws.nl is now predicting the VVD will win 33 seats, with PVV on 20. That would make Wilders’ party the clear second party, ahead of the CDA and D66, both on 19. 03.27am GMT update: Utrecht result in – a win for D66. 01.55am GMT update: Ouch. The Dutch Labour party PvdA drops from 32.3 per cent to 6.3 per cent in Nijmegen. GL takes the seat with 20.1 per cent, closely followed by D66 on 19.5 per cent.

EPA Geert Wilders reflects on his election loss

TWITTER/ EUROPE ELECTS Seventy-five per cent counted. (Left) shows the state of play, compared to 2012 result (right

01.45am GMT update: Rutte will need at least three other parties for a coalition. 150 seats in Dutch parliament and VDD are only expected to scoop 31. Wilders also tweets to announce he’s won his hometown of Venlo – just narrowly ahead of the VDD again. PVV – 19.9 per cent. VVD – 19.4 per cent. CDA – 12.7 per cent. 01.30am GMT update: Updates coming thick and fast. Now there's 75 per cent of the vote counted – here's the latest. VVD-ALDE: 21.3% PVV-ENF 13.1% CDA-EPP 12.5% D66-ALDE 12% SP-LEFT 9.3% GL-G/EFA 9% 01.22am GMT update: Dutch broadcasters NOS reporting Wilders’ PVV have won the southern city of Maastrict – ironically the city which formally created the European Union. PVV wins 18.3 per cent of the vote, with VVD second on 12.5 per cent.

95% of the votes counted.



PVV gaining 33%:

from 15 -> 20 seats in Parliament and 2nd largest party! pic.twitter.com/oYjZlZikhP — Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) March 16, 2017

01.15am GMT update: Now up to 50 per cent of the vote counted now. Here’s the latest. Remember, VVD is Rutte’s centre-right party. Wilders is PVV leader. VVD-ALDE: 21.5% PVV-ENF 13% CDA-EPP 12.5% D66-ALDE 11.9% GL-G/EFA 9.3% SP-LEFT 9.3% 12.30am GMT update: Wilders highly critical of Rutte for claiming the "wrong kind of populists" had been defeated. The PVV leader said: "I don't know what he means. He is implying there are good and bad populists. “I don't see myself as a populist but he is suggesting I am a bad populist and some kind of Nazi." 12.15am GMT update: Geert Wilders has declared rival Mark Rutte the winner of the Dutch election – but hopes to be invited to rule as part of a coalition. Mr Wilders said: "I would rather have been the largest party. (But) we gained seats. That's a result to be proud of."

TWITTER/ EUROPE ELECTS Fifty per cent of vote counted in 2017 (left) and final map from 2012 election

Dutch election day: Wednesday March 15 11.50pm GMT update: The Greens have won the capital Amsterdam. 11.48pm GMT update: Now up to 20 per cent of the vote counted. VVD-ALDE: 22% PVV-ENF 12.9% CDA-EPP 12.4% D66-ALDE 11.7% GL-G/EFA 10.4% SP-LEFT 9.4% 11.45pm GMT update: Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) on course for second and is expected to push Wilders’ PVV into third, latest Ipsos analysis claims. 11.30pm GMT update: With 10.9 per cent of the votes counted, Mark Rutte's VVD have scooped 17.8 per cent of the vote – towering over both the PVV and the other nearest rivals, according to Reuters. Another unofficial poll by Dutch news agency ANP claims Rutte could even scoop 32 out of the 150 parliamentary seats. That would be one seat more than the exit polls predict. Even if Rutte does snatch 32 seats, it's still way down on his 41 seats in the 2012 election. 10.50pm GMT update: Rotterdam has voted for Wilders. The anti-Muslim politician tweeted: "Rotterdam for the PVV!" 10.34pm GMT update: The first three per cent of votes are in and it's showing the north of the country turning from Labour red to centre/centre-Right green. 10.40pm GMT update: It's been nearly three hours since polls closed and they are going at a rate of one per cent of the vote an hour. With 388 municipalities, we may only find out the final results at midnight on Sunday. Hopefully they pick up the pace. 10.30pm GMT update: Mr Rutte has told media the Dutch people today said "stop" to the wrong kind of populism, after Brexit and Trump. 10.25pm GMT update: EU President Jean-Claude Juncker has congratulated Mr Rutte on his "clear victory" over the phone. He said: "It is a vote for Europe, a vote against extremists." 10.20pm GMT update: Thoughts are now turning to which parties will create a coalition government. It needs to be four parties with a total of 76 seats in the 150 seat parliament, but who? A VVD/CDA/D66/PvdA coalition is being mooted as it would create 78 seats - and most importantly for those parties, would not include Mr Wilders' PVV. However, Dutch professor Cas Mudde, associate professor at the University of Georgia in the US, said that would be "suicidal" for PvdA - the Labour Party - as they would "lose big" in a right-wing coalition without GroenLinks, the leftist Green Party.

TWITTER/ EUROPE ELECTS Map of the 2017 count at 20 per cent (left), map of the total vote from 2012

Getty The exit polls showed VVD winning, with the PVV, CDA and D66 coming equal second

9.55pm GMT update: The Germans are extremely happy with the exit polls from their neighbour - and the sixth largest EU economy. Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, tweeted: "The Netherlands, oh the Netherlands you are a champion! "Congratulations on this great result." 9.50pm GMT update: So many voters went to the polls across the Netherlands that in the city of Nijmegan, polling stations had to order extra ballot papers and extend opening times to give people enough time to vote. 9.45pm GMT update: Klass Dijkhoff, a senior official in Mr Rutte's party and secretary of state for migration, said: "All parties gained, except for us, but we are still happy. "We had difficult years and we are very happy to remain the biggest party." 9.35pm GMT update: Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt, has given the VVD and the D66 party a pat on the back. He tweeted: "Congratulations to Mark Rutte and Alexander Pechtold! "They ran great campaigns in which optimism prevailed." 9.30pm GMT update: The Italian Prime Minister, Paolo Gentiloni, has tweeted there will be no "Nexit". He said: "No Nexit. "Anti-EU right lost the elections in the Netherlands. "Common commitment to change and relaunch EU." 9.20pm GMT update: PvdA, the Dutch Labour Party failed miserably today, losing 29 seats bringing it from 38 seats to just nine. This brings it down from the second biggest party to the seventh. 9.05pm GMT update: Ukip ally VNL has failed to enter parliament, according to exit polls. 9pm GMT update: Mr Rutte may be coming out on top right now but he has lost 10 seats, which is a massive QUARTER of his support.

IPSOS This IPSOS exit poll shows a much higher turnout over election day than 2012

8.55pm GMT update: European politicians are tweeting - in Dutch - their delight at Mr Wilders' loss. German politician Martin Schulz, who has just stepped down as President of the European Parliament, tweeted: "Wilders can't win the Netherlands election. "I'm relieved, but we must continue the fight for an open and free Europe." 8.50pm GMT update: The first two municipalities - out of 388 are out. They have both voted for Mr Rutte's VVD party. 8.40pm GMT update: Mr Wilders has tweeted: "PVV voters thanks! "We have won seats! "First victory is in! "And Rutte has not seen the last of me yet!!" The very high turnout is what experts are saying damaged Mr Wilders' chances and increased Mr Rutte's. 8.35pm GMT update: An updated turnout projection is 82 per cent, the highest turnout in 31 years. 8.30pm GMT update: Mr Wilders has gained 12.6 per cent of the vote. He has done better than 2012 when he gained 10.1 per cent, but in 2010 - when Mr Rutte became PM - PVV gained 15.4 per cent of the vote. 8.25pm GMT update: The leftist Animal Liberation Party (PvdD) has also gained the most votes - three per cent - since its first election in 2003 8.20pm GMT update: Green party, GroenLinks, has just gained its best result in its history, with 11 per cent. 8.15pm GMT update: Looking back at the 2012 election, Mr Rutte gained 41 seats - 10 more than the exit polls have given him this time. Mr Wilders' PVV managed 15 seats five years ago - four fewer than today's projected outcome. 8.10pm GMT update: As the first full exit poll comes out it's looking like at least four parties will be needed for a majority government. This was expected, but with Mr Wilders' PVV party being one of the three coming joint second, this could cause problems as all the other parties said they will not work with Mr Wilders. 8:01pm GMT update: Exit polls are out. Mark Rutte's VVD leads on 31 seats. Mr Wilders' PVV, as well as the CDA and D66 are on 19 seats. 8pm GMT update: Polls have CLOSED. Exit polls will be in very soon.

Getty D66 supporters celebrated as polls closed to reveal they were joint second in exit polls

7.30pm GMT update: Tim de Beer, from Dutch pollster TNS NIPO, told Express.co.uk: “Although I expected a slightly higher turn out than in 2012, this number totally exceeds my expectations. “It's hard to say what this means - looks like the turnout in the major cities will be very high, meaning that the Liberal parties will benefit. “But a high turn out in the suburban regions and rural areas would be good news for the PVV (and parties such as the SP and 50 Plus). “The less highly educated youngsters are - on average - definitely supporting Mr Wilders, so if the youngsters show up massively it will benefit GreenLeft, D66 and certainly PVV.” 7pm GMT update: With an hour until polls close IPSOS NL has projected a record turnout of 80.2 per cent - 5.6 per cent higher than in 2012. Exit polls, which are generally quite reliable in the Netherlands, will be published at 8pm. 6pm GMT update: There are only two hours to go until the polls close at 9pm local time (8pm GMT). The exit poll will be broadcast soon after as the count begins. Dutch journalist Hans de Vreij tweeted: “First official results of the general elections in the Netherlands can be expected by midnight local time (=2300 GMT/UTC).” Cas Mudde, associate Professor from the University of Georgia, tweeted: “I’m not going to lie. I am reaaaaaaally looking forward to exit polls at 9 PM Dutch time.” WILL GEERT WILDERS WIN?

AFP Getty Peilingwijzer Geert Wilders is taking on Mark Rutte in the Netherlands election

5.55pm GMT update: Ben Kleber, from business information company Dun and Bradstreet, said anti-EU sentiment in the wake of the Brexit vote has "given hope" to veteran Eurosceptic Mr Wilders. Mr Kleber said: “A Wilders win might have implications for the future of the EU: it could create the opportunity for other European nations to take advantage of the short-term uncertainty and could herald a break-up of the EU in the longer term. “The economic implications of a Wilders success in the Netherlands might have a destabilising effect on the euro, as the head of the PVV has threatened to take the Netherlands out of the Eurozone – however, even if Wilders does win the election it is very unlikely that he will gain enough seats in Parliament to form his own government. “Moreover, other political parties have ruled out forming a coalition with the PVV.” 5.40pm GMT update: Cas Mudde, associate Professor from the University of Georgia, tweeted: “Higher turnout, particularly in big cities, should hurt rather than help PVV.” Vincenzo Scarpetta, a senior policy analyst at Open Europe, posted on Twitter: “Hard to infer what higher turnout means for Wilders. “PVV ran in three general elections so far, and turnout in 2012 was similar to 2010.” WHAT HAPPENS IF GEERT WILDERS WINS?

5.30pm GMT update: A win for the PVV remains a “distinct possibility”, according to Pepijn Bergsen, Netherlands analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit. But he added: “We still think the VVD is likely to win the largest vote share, having seemingly gotten extra support from the government's handling of the spat with Turkey over the weekend.” He tweeted: “Several of the smaller parties and the PVV have banned a major paper from attending their results evening. So just like Trump after all.” 5pm GMT update: Turnout was at 55% at 6pm local time (5pm GMT), up from 48% at the same time in the last election in 2012. WHEN ARE RESULTS ANNOUNCED?

4.40pm GMT update: The counting of the expat votes has started at the Hague. Minister Ronald Plasterk, from the Labour Party (PvdA), visits the count as his party prepares for what is likely to be a difficult election night. The latest polls show that support for PvdA has collapsed after governing in coalition with the its rival the VVD since 2012. 4pm GMT update: High turnout meant extra polling booths were needed at several polling stations in Maassluis, Appingedam and Amsterdam. Pollster Maurice de Hond says that if turnout is 5% higher than in the last election then the biggest Dutch cities will play a more important role in deciding the result.

Polls seem to be moving further apart. De Hond had PVV up to 24, this one puts Wilders fifth on 16 seats. VVD has 27 in both. https://t.co/gzQwUhrVIv — Gordon Darroch (@GordonDarroch) March 14, 2017

3pm GMT update: Europe Elects says that ballot papers are “running out” and some polling stations are swamped because turnout is so high. It added: “Turnout in some polling stations hits 100%. Turnout today to surpass 80%, maybe even 85% (2012: 74.6%). Media reports some station have run out of ballots.” 2pm update GMT: Mr Rutte has said that the “wrong sort of populism” will win the day if Mr Wilders triumph's in today's election in the Netherlands. Asked what a PVV victory would mean, he said: “I think the rest of the world will then see that after Brexit, and the American election again, the wrong sort of populism has won the day.” WILL GEERT WILDERS BOOST LE PEN'S CHANCES?

1.10pm update GMT: Dutch politician Sybrand Buma, the leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), has voted at a polling station in the Hague, Netherlands. Mr Buma has demanded that Queen Maxima renounces her Argentinian nationality. He told NPO radio: “If it was up to me, everyone would have just one passport and that means the queen as well.” The CDA leader has said that all the pre-election talk was about a rivalry between Mr Wilders and Mr Rutte. "What's left of that dual?” he asked Reuters this week. “We are getting stronger every day and the chance that we are the biggest on election day is very real, and no one is expecting it."

Reuters Dutch politician Sybrand Buma, of the CDA party, votes at a polling station

EPA Dutch GroenLinks (Green Left) Party leader Jesse Klaver has casts his vote

1pm update GMT: Dutch GroenLinks (Green Left) Party leader Jesse Klaver has cast his vote at a polling station in The Hague. The buoyant young leader of the country’s green party hopes that his Obama-style campaign could propel him to victory. “We are telling a positive story about what The Netherlands is,” said Mr Klaver, who is desperately trying to stop Mr Wilders from winning. “I focus on the values that are important to the Netherlands: freedom, tolerance, empathy. I want to say to all the populists: I want my Netherlands back.” The Dutch green party has surged in the polls, while the Labour party is getting ready to concede heavy defeats. WHAT PARTIES ARE RUNNING AGAINST WILDERS?

12.45pm update GMT: Europe Elects tweeted that turnout was 33 per cent at 12.45pm GMT, up six per cent on 2012 election turnout at the same stage. It added: “Massive increase in #Amsterdam voter turnout (13:00 CET): 25.8%, up from 14.1% in 2012.” Pepijn Bergsen, Netherlands analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, tweeted: “Polls have tended to suggest similar or slightly higher levels of turnout as in 2012, which was 74.6%. "Dutch people love to vote.” 12.30pm update GMT: Christoph Schmidt, Brussels correspondent at Dutch national newspaper Trouw, tweeted: “After all this attention of foreign press for Wilders, headlines like 'Big blow for populism' are inevitable tomorrow.”

Noon GMT update: Europe Elects tweeted that turnout was 15 per cent at 10.30am, up from 13 per cent at the same stage in the 2012 election. It added: “Ballot paper shows 28 parties - record number. 15 might join parliament.” 11am GMT update: Many PVV voters are backing Mr Wilders in order to rock the political establishment and voice their anger over sky-high immigration. "I am voting for Wilders. I hope he can make a change to make the Netherlands better," said Wendy de Graaf, who was dropping off her kids at school in The Hague. "I don't agree with everything he says...but I feel that immigration is a problem." 10.30am GMT update: Mr Wilders remains defiant even though his party has slipped in the polls, with two shock polls putting him in third and fourth place yesterday. Ahead of voting this morning, Mr Wilders said: “I feel very optimistic. We want to take out country back.” LATEST POLLS Then after voting, he said: "Whatever the outcome of the election today the genie will not go back into the bottle and this patriotic revolution, whether today or tomorrow, will take place.” 10.11am GMT update: The is euro under pressure as it dips amid Dutch election uncertainty. The euro today dipped -0.4 per cent against the pound to trade at £0.869. POUND TO EURO EXCHANGE RATE LIVE

10am GMT update: All eyes are on how well Mr Wilders does today in his election battle against the incumbent Prime Minister, the Centre for European Reform (CER) said today. The CER said that the polls indicate that support for the PVV has been “slipping” but added: “Who believes opinion polls these days?” The think tank added: “The vote comes amidst a diplomatic crisis with Turkey. The final days of the campaign have been dominated by the question of what relationship the Dutch should have with the Muslim-majority country.” CER senior research fellow Rem Korteweg said: "Even if Wilders' party becomes the largest, he will not likely be able to form a majority government. But his influence on Dutch politics will continue to be significant."

9.30am GMT update: Mr Wilders today denied claims that he had built his inflammatory election campaign on "bigotry and hate". "Those are all lies. We have, I believe, the biggest support by the common Dutch people," he told Sky News this morning. "The common Dutch people who are interested in getting their country back and returning our national sovereignty are hopefully voting today in huge amounts." 9.20am GMT update: Mr Rutte waved to the press and smiled broadly after casting his vote in the Dutch election this morning. The Prime Minister has received a boost in the polls in recent days after taking a tough stance against Turkey. WHEN WILL THE RESULTS COME IN?

Peilingwijzer This is the final poll of polls published on election day

9am GMT update: The final poll of polls shows that the VVD is leading the way at 17% support, just ahead of the PVV at 14% and CDA at 13%. The electorate is deeply divided with six political parties polling 10% or more support on the day of the knife-edge election. The poll showed that the VVD will get between 24 to 28 seats but the PVV will only get between 19 and 23 seats in the election. No party will get anywhere close to the 76 seats needed for a majority government. Prepare for long drawn-out coalition talks. Pepijn Bergsen, Netherlands analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, tweeted: “#DutchElection day! Polls now open until 9pm, when we'll get the first exit poll. “Final poll of polls, with many voters still undecided.”

Peilingwijzer The final poll of polls shows that the VVD are expected to win more seats then the PVV

8.14am GMT update: Geert Wilders has cast his vote in the general election, surrounded by his security personnel, the media and photographers. Ahead of voting this morning, Mr Wilders said: “I feel very optimistic. We want to take out country back.” His emotive slogan is similar to the Brexit campaigners' rallying call for Britain to take back control from the EU during the referendum campaign. After Mr Wilders cast his vote, he took an anti-migrant stand and said: “Muslims are free to leave the Netherlands whenever they want.” 7am GMT update - In numbers: 28 parties, 150 seats, 13 million people eligible to vote, and no party polling above 17 percent. 6.30am GMT update - The polling stations have opened! WHEN DO THE POLLS CLOSE? Election day began just hours after a final debate that left Prime Minister Mark Rutte in pole position and the momentum with Jesse Klaver’s Green Left party.

People queuing to cast their votes in The Hague's Binnenhof pic.twitter.com/0AijIKzhDI — Florian Eder (@florianeder) March 15, 2017

6.10am GMT update - The latest polls have placed Mr Wilders in third position, enabling Mr Rutte's Liberals to narrowly lead the race with under 30 minutes to go before polling stations are due to open at 6.30am GMT (7.30 am local time). Dr Carolien van Ham, a Dutch politics lecturer at NSW University, told SBS: "It’s really unpredictable, it’s really hard to say... It's like looking into thick coffee, as we would say.” But she added: “But normally the polls are a bit off for the PVV, so they still might end up the largest party.” DUTCH ELECTION KEY DATES

Tuesday March 14 9.10pm GMT update - The latest polls have left Mr Wilders' anti-Islam party in fifth place in one survey and third in another. The final poll from I&O Research put Wilders' party on 16 seats in the 150-member lower house of parliament - down four seats from their poll yesterday. And the last Ipsos survey gave the Freedom Party 20 seats, a drop of three from last week. Both polls showed Prime Minister Mark Rutte's party gaining three seats, to 27 and 29 respectively. 8.50pm GMT update - That's that for this evening's debate. With 13 leaders throwing insults around it was fairly hectic. Only tomorrow will tell whether each of their messages got through as voters go to the polls in one of the most fraught Dutch elections in years.

Dutch firebrand politician Geert Wilders Wed, February 8, 2017 Known as the 'Dutch Donald Trump' Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 13 Originally from Venlo in the south-eastern Netherlands, Mr Wilders moved to Israel in 1981 after graduating from secondary school.

8.40pm GMT update - Mr Wilders has said Mr Asscher "let in those Turks who were rioting last weekend, you let in those reioting refugees in asylum shelters, YOU did that". Mr Asscher, attacked Mr Wilders, saying: "The only thing, you, Mr Wilders, is tweeting all day long and only point at the minorities in our society. Mr Wilders hit out at Mr Asscher, saying: "Let's make a deal. "If you want to tackle crime you should deport those foreigners who rape, commit crime and laugh at our police." 8.30pm GMT update - And Geert Wilders is on. He's debating with Lodewijk Asscher, of the PvdA Labour Party. Populist candidate Mr Wilders, said: "What's funny is that your party is using slogans by the Muslim party DENK. "The Netherlands is not for everyone, the Netherlands is for the Dutch. "And your party makes our own Dutch people feel not at home." Mr Asscher has accused him of only wanting a Netherlands without the Turkish, without the Muslims, without the refugees. He added: "I am here for everyone."

8.15pm GMT update - There is a general anti-EU feeling building up, with Emile Roemer, leader of the Socialist Party, said: "I'm an opponent of the EU. I want a more sovereign country. "I don't want a bureaucrat in Brussels leading our country." 8.10pm GMT update - Jesse Klaver, leader of left wing party, GroenLinks and Sybrand Buma of the centre CDA party are debating. 30-year-old Mr Klaver has accused Mr Buma of being "the problem here". He said: "We live in a world where Trump is in power and Brexit has just happened, we don't need populism." 8pm GMT update - Jan Roos, journalist and leader of For the Netherlands Party (VNL), a splinter group of populist Geert Wilders' PVV party, has gone in guns blazing. He said: "Prime Minister Rutte made a deal with the Devil (Erdogan). We should have never made that deal." 7.45pm GMT update - Tonight's final debate has kicked off. A total of 13 party leaders are taking part, with the smaller parties going first and the larger parties second. It is expected to last two hours. We will be giving you updates throughout.

5pm GMT update - One new poll, from I&O Research, shows Mr Wilders falling all the way back to fifth place with just 16 seats. But another poll put Mr Wilders in third place with 20 seats, just behind the VVD at 29 seats and the Christian Democrats at 23 seats. 2pm GMT update - The leader of the Christian Democrats has crept up behind the two main contenders - Mr Wilders and Mr Rutte - in the latest poll of polls. Sybrand Buma's Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) is just a point behind Mr Wilders’ PVV and four behind the Mr Rutte's VVD with just a day to go. Mr Buma said that all the pre-election talk had been that the campaign would centre on a rivalry between Mr Wilders and Mr Rutte. “What's left of that dual?” he asked Reuters. “We are getting stronger every day and the chance that we are the biggest on election day is very real, and no one is expecting it."

Minister @RPlasterk op bezoek bij het tellen van de stemmen uit het buitenland bij de @GemeenteDenHaag: pic.twitter.com/SGQnIFpS2u — Ministerie van BZK (@MinBZK) March 15, 2017

Als in alle gemeenten de opkomst 5% hoger zou worden, dan neemt de invloed van de uitslag van de grootste gemeenten toe. #TK2017 — Maurice de Hond (@mauricedehond) March 15, 2017

1.30am GMT update: Mr Wilders has been mocked on German television by a comedian who referred to World War Two during a rant about his policies. Heute Show host Oliver Welke said: “Wilders is very proud of the fact that his so-called election manifesto fits onto one page. “This is it. Not even printed on both sides, only on the front. What does it say? 'We want the Netherlands back.' “Weird, I was sure we gave it back to you in 1945, but hey, I will double check that later.” 1pm GMT update: BMO currency strategist Stephen Gallo said the stronger dollar is weighing on European currencies because the “political outlook for Europe is so uncertain”. He said: “The worry is that PVV will do better in Holland on Wednesday than what's already priced in (and) you've got these tensions in the UK because of the Article 50 trigger.”

Geert Wilders: These are the Party for Freedom leader's policies Wed, February 8, 2017 Noteworthy policies that Geert Wilders mentions in his party program. Play slideshow 1 of 14

11am GMT update: The Dutch Polling Indicator, which combines Dutch polls, shows that the Prime Minister's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) remains in the lead. Its new poll average put the VVD at 17 per cent, three percentage points ahead of the PVV at 14 per cent with just two days to go before the election. Economist Intelligence Unit analyst Pepijn Bergsen said that it was the first Dutch Polling Indicator poll of polls since the Netherlands’ spat with Turkey. Mr Bergsen said that the latest poll showed a "small bump for VVD and PVV at the expense of their centrist chasers”. 10.40am GMT update: There are fears that euro could fall this week if Mr Wilders win the election in the Netherlands. 3.30am GMT update: Turkey has banned the Dutch ambassador from returning to Ankara and suspended diplomatic talks as the war of words between the nations escalates. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister, Numan Kurtulmus, said: “The Dutch government’s conduct is unacceptable by any standards. "This tension, this crisis, this chaos -- whatever you call it -- it is not us who caused it. “Turkey will not suffer from this. Turkey protects its rights and dignity, but I would like to stress that it is the Netherlands and many other European countries that will bear the brunt.”

Netherlands: Turnout today to surpass 80%, maybe even 85% (2012: 74.6%). Media reports some station have run out of ballots. #DutchElection pic.twitter.com/oBoJ1o056S — Europe Elects (@EuropeElects) March 15, 2017

The audience response in the debate gives me the idea that nobody is buying Wilders' message but they also don't like Rutte — Pepijn Bergsen (@pbergsen) March 13, 2017

Monday, March 13 7.45pm GMT update: Minutes after the debate finishes, Turkey files a case at the European Court of Human Rights over the Dutch Government banning the Turkish foreign minister from the Netherlands. 7.30pm GMT update: Things are getting heated during the debate. The PM, said: "I will not govern with you, no, never, no." Mr Wilders just replied with: "People don't believe you." 7pm GMT update: The debate has turned to immigration and Dutch identity, with Mr Rutte accusing Mr Wilders of using "voodoo numbers" on immigration and saying closing borders is a "fake solution". Mr Wilders has hit back in his well-known anti-immigration style, saying there is "no place for Islam" in the Netherlands. Mr Rutte said: "We don't look at people's religion, we look at people's behaviour." 6.45pm GMT update: Mr Rutte has told the audience the Dutch have the "best health care in Europe", which Mr Wilders is turning into a migrant issues, saying 130,000 asylum seekers receive free health care. He said: "You, Mr Rutte, are not Prime Minister of the Netherlands, but Prime Minister of foreigners."

Quick conclusion: no surprises. Rutte trying to look statesman-like. Wilders portraiting him as a liar, not to be trusted. #DutchElections — Christoph Schmidt (@trouwschmidt) March 13, 2017

Polls have tended to suggest similar or slightly higher levels of turnout as in 2012, which was 74.6%. Dutch people love to vote https://t.co/tLqXDrXKSL — Pepijn Bergsen (@pbergsen) March 15, 2017

6.15pm GMT update: Mr Wilders is not holding back - he has now accused Mr Rutte of lying to the Dutch voters for the past five years. 6pm GMT update: The pair have been flinging insults at each other from the offset. Mr Wilders has accused the PM of scaremongering over Brexit, saying the UK is "doing better than the rest". 5.30pm GMT update: The televised debate between Mr Wilders and Mr Rutte has begun at Erasmus University in Rotterdam. 4.50pm GMT update: The Dutch Polling Indicator, which combines Dutch polls, shows that the Prime Minister's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) is in the lead. Its latest poll average put the VVD at 16 per cent, three percentage points ahead of the PVV at 13 per cent with just two days to go before the election. 4.30pm GMT update: Mr Wilders made a “mistake” with his lavish praise for Donald Trump which has severely dented his chances of winning, a top pollster has told Express.co.uk. And Tim de Beer, a senior analyst at Kantar TNS polling company, said: “Wilders made a mistake backing Trump. People didn’t like that.”

Netherlands: Ballot paper shows 28 parties - record number. 15 might join parliament. Exit poll on @EuropeElects at 2100 CET. #DutchElection pic.twitter.com/VzCKUBjmiG — Europe Elects (@EuropeElects) March 15, 2017

4pm GMT update: Mr Rutte has admitted Geert Wilders has a “real” chance of winning the upcoming election. The Prime Minister said a victory for Wilders’ party, the PVV, would “send a signal to the rest of the world” and urged voters to stop “the wrong populism”. Mr Rutte said: "There is a real risk that on March 16 we can wake up in this country and Geert Wilders is leading the biggest party and that will send a signal to the rest of the world.” 2pm GMT update: The latest Peil.nl poll found that the VVD has taken the lead in the polls and is expected to win 24 seats, two more than the PVV.

GETTY Geert Wilders arrives to cast his vote in the Dutch General Election

1pm GMT update: Mr Wilders has called the Netherlands’ ethnic Turks to be stripped of their dual citizenship or go back to Turkey unless they reject Mr Erdogan’s remarks. He said: “Are they loyal to Holland? Then they should reject the remarks of President Erdogan and they are as equal as anybody else. “But if today proves in the coming days that they support the crazy and harsh remarks of Mr Erdogan then I invite them all to leave Holland, to go to Turkey and never come back because then their loyalty is not to Holland, but to the Turkish Republic.” Noon GMT update: A snap poll by Maurice de Hond, released on Sunday evening, showed 86 percent of Dutch voters approved of Mr Rutte's handling of the Turkish issue. "In times when the nation is hit by something like this, there's the inclination for people to get behind the government," said Hans Gosling, political commentator at Dutch newspaper Trouw.

Reuters Mark Rutte waves after casting his vote in the Dutch election

Kunnen we #tochmaarpvda trending krijgen? Ik hoor dat veel zeggen. pic.twitter.com/UUBwfR9o7Y — Ronald Plasterk (@RPlasterk) March 15, 2017

8.14am GMT update: Geert Wilders has cast his vote in the general election, surrounded by his security personnel, the media and photographers. Ahead of voting this morning, Mr Wilders said: “I feel very optimistic. We want to take out country back.” His emotive slogan is similar to the Brexit campaigners' rallying call for Britain to take back control from the EU during the referendum campaign. After Mr Wilders cast his vote, he took an anti-migrant stand and said: “Muslims are free to leave the Netherlands whenever they want.” 7am GMT update - In numbers: 28 parties, 150 seats, 13 million people eligible to vote, and no party polling above 17 percent. 6.30am GMT update - The polling stations have opened! WHEN DO THE POLLS CLOSE? Election day began just hours after a final debate that left Prime Minister Mark Rutte in pole position and the momentum with Jesse Klaver’s Green Left party.

6.10am GMT update - The latest polls have placed Mr Wilders in third position, enabling Mr Rutte's Liberals to narrowly lead the race with under 30 minutes to go before polling stations are due to open at 6.30am GMT (7.30 am local time). Dr Carolien van Ham, a Dutch politics lecturer at NSW University, told SBS: "It’s really unpredictable, it’s really hard to say... It's like looking into thick coffee, as we would say.” But she added: “But normally the polls are a bit off for the PVV, so they still might end up the largest party.” DUTCH ELECTION KEY DATES

GETTY Geert Wilders was up early to cast his vote in the Dutch General Election

Getty Dutch Prime Minister out campaigning on Tuesday March 14

Tuesday March 14 9.10pm GMT update - The latest polls have left Mr Wilders' anti-Islam party in fifth place in one survey and third in another. The final poll from I&O Research put Wilders' party on 16 seats in the 150-member lower house of parliament - down four seats from their poll yesterday. And the last Ipsos survey gave the Freedom Party 20 seats, a drop of three from last week. Both polls showed Prime Minister Mark Rutte's party gaining three seats, to 27 and 29 respectively. 8.50pm GMT update - That's that for this evening's debate. With 13 leaders throwing insults around it was fairly hectic. Only tomorrow will tell whether each of their messages got through as voters go to the polls in one of the most fraught Dutch elections in years.

NC Geert Wilders went in guns blazing with his anti-Islam stance

8.40pm GMT update - Mr Wilders has said Mr Asscher "let in those Turks who were rioting last weekend, you let in those reioting refugees in asylum shelters, YOU did that". Mr Asscher, attacked Mr Wilders, saying: "The only thing, you, Mr Wilders, is tweeting all day long and only point at the minorities in our society. Mr Wilders hit out at Mr Asscher, saying: "Let's make a deal. "If you want to tackle crime you should deport those foreigners who rape, commit crime and laugh at our police." 8.30pm GMT update - And Geert Wilders is on. He's debating with Lodewijk Asscher, of the PvdA Labour Party. Populist candidate Mr Wilders, said: "What's funny is that your party is using slogans by the Muslim party DENK. "The Netherlands is not for everyone, the Netherlands is for the Dutch. "And your party makes our own Dutch people feel not at home." Mr Asscher has accused him of only wanting a Netherlands without the Turkish, without the Muslims, without the refugees. He added: "I am here for everyone."

Dutch firebrand politician Geert Wilders Wed, February 8, 2017 Known as the 'Dutch Donald Trump' Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 13 Originally from Venlo in the south-eastern Netherlands, Mr Wilders moved to Israel in 1981 after graduating from secondary school.

8.15pm GMT update - There is a general anti-EU feeling building up, with Emile Roemer, leader of the Socialist Party, said: "I'm an opponent of the EU. I want a more sovereign country. "I don't want a bureaucrat in Brussels leading our country." 8.10pm GMT update - Jesse Klaver, leader of left wing party, GroenLinks and Sybrand Buma of the centre CDA party are debating. 30-year-old Mr Klaver has accused Mr Buma of being "the problem here". He said: "We live in a world where Trump is in power and Brexit has just happened, we don't need populism." 8pm GMT update - Jan Roos, journalist and leader of For the Netherlands Party (VNL), a splinter group of populist Geert Wilders' PVV party, has gone in guns blazing. He said: "Prime Minister Rutte made a deal with the Devil (Erdogan). We should have never made that deal." 7.45pm GMT update - Tonight's final debate has kicked off. A total of 13 party leaders are taking part, with the smaller parties going first and the larger parties second. It is expected to last two hours. We will be giving you updates throughout.

Polls seem to be moving further apart. De Hond had PVV up to 24, this one puts Wilders fifth on 16 seats. VVD has 27 in both. https://t.co/gzQwUhrVIv — Gordon Darroch (@GordonDarroch) March 14, 2017

Ipsos A new poll puts Mr Wilders in third place with 20 seats, just behind the VVD and Christian De

5pm GMT update - One new poll, from I&O Research, shows Mr Wilders falling all the way back to fifth place with just 16 seats. But another poll put Mr Wilders in third place with 20 seats, just behind the VVD at 29 seats and the Christian Democrats at 23 seats. 2pm GMT update - The leader of the Christian Democrats has crept up behind the two main contenders - Mr Wilders and Mr Rutte - in the latest poll of polls. Sybrand Buma's Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) is just a point behind Mr Wilders’ PVV and four behind the Mr Rutte's VVD with just a day to go. Mr Buma said that all the pre-election talk had been that the campaign would centre on a rivalry between Mr Wilders and Mr Rutte. “What's left of that dual?” he asked Reuters. “We are getting stronger every day and the chance that we are the biggest on election day is very real, and no one is expecting it."

Dutch Poll Indicator This is the latest prediction from the Dutch Poll Indicator

1.30pm GMT update: Mr Wilders has been mocked on German television by a comedian who referred to World War Two during a rant about his policies. Heute Show host Oliver Welke said: “Wilders is very proud of the fact that his so-called election manifesto fits onto one page. “This is it. Not even printed on both sides, only on the front. What does it say? 'We want the Netherlands back.' “Weird, I was sure we gave it back to you in 1945, but hey, I will double check that later.” 1pm GMT update: BMO currency strategist Stephen Gallo said the stronger dollar is weighing on European currencies because the “political outlook for Europe is so uncertain”. He said: “The worry is that PVV will do better in Holland on Wednesday than what's already priced in (and) you've got these tensions in the UK because of the Article 50 trigger.”

Geert Wilders: These are the Party for Freedom leader's policies Wed, February 8, 2017 Noteworthy policies that Geert Wilders mentions in his party program. Play slideshow 1 of 14

11am GMT update: The Dutch Polling Indicator, which combines Dutch polls, shows that the Prime Minister's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) remains in the lead. Its new poll average put the VVD at 17 per cent, three percentage points ahead of the PVV at 14 per cent with just two days to go before the election. Economist Intelligence Unit analyst Pepijn Bergsen said that it was the first Dutch Polling Indicator poll of polls since the Netherlands’ spat with Turkey. Mr Bergsen said that the latest poll showed a "small bump for VVD and PVV at the expense of their centrist chasers”. 10.40am GMT update: There are fears that euro could fall this week if Mr Wilders win the election in the Netherlands. 3.30am GMT update: Turkey has banned the Dutch ambassador from returning to Ankara and suspended diplomatic talks as the war of words between the nations escalates. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister, Numan Kurtulmus, said: “The Dutch government’s conduct is unacceptable by any standards. "This tension, this crisis, this chaos -- whatever you call it -- it is not us who caused it. “Turkey will not suffer from this. Turkey protects its rights and dignity, but I would like to stress that it is the Netherlands and many other European countries that will bear the brunt.”

The audience response in the debate gives me the idea that nobody is buying Wilders' message but they also don't like Rutte — Pepijn Bergsen (@pbergsen) March 13, 2017

- Geert Wilders is taking on Mark Rutte in a TV debate on Monday

Monday, March 13 7.45pm GMT update: Minutes after the debate finishes, Turkey files a case at the European Court of Human Rights over the Dutch Government banning the Turkish foreign minister from the Netherlands. 7.30pm GMT update: Things are getting heated during the debate. The PM, said: "I will not govern with you, no, never, no." Mr Wilders just replied with: "People don't believe you." 7pm GMT update: The debate has turned to immigration and Dutch identity, with Mr Rutte accusing Mr Wilders of using "voodoo numbers" on immigration and saying closing borders is a "fake solution". Mr Wilders has hit back in his well-known anti-immigration style, saying there is "no place for Islam" in the Netherlands. Mr Rutte said: "We don't look at people's religion, we look at people's behaviour." 6.45pm GMT update: Mr Rutte has told the audience the Dutch have the "best health care in Europe", which Mr Wilders is turning into a migrant issues, saying 130,000 asylum seekers receive free health care. He said: "You, Mr Rutte, are not Prime Minister of the Netherlands, but Prime Minister of foreigners."

Quick conclusion: no surprises. Rutte trying to look statesman-like. Wilders portraiting him as a liar, not to be trusted. #DutchElections — Christoph Schmidt (@trouwschmidt) March 13, 2017

6.15pm GMT update: Mr Wilders is not holding back - he has now accused Mr Rutte of lying to the Dutch voters for the past five years. 6pm GMT update: The pair have been flinging insults at each other from the offset. Mr Wilders has accused the PM of scaremongering over Brexit, saying the UK is "doing better than the rest". 5.30pm GMT update: The televised debate between Mr Wilders and Mr Rutte has begun at Erasmus University in Rotterdam. 4.50pm GMT update: The Dutch Polling Indicator, which combines Dutch polls, shows that the Prime Minister's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) is in the lead. Its latest poll average put the VVD at 16 per cent, three percentage points ahead of the PVV at 13 per cent with just two days to go before the election. 4.30pm GMT update: Mr Wilders made a “mistake” with his lavish praise for Donald Trump which has severely dented his chances of winning, a top pollster has told Express.co.uk. And Tim de Beer, a senior analyst at Kantar TNS polling company, said: “Wilders made a mistake backing Trump. People didn’t like that.”

4pm GMT update: Mr Rutte has admitted Geert Wilders has a “real” chance of winning the upcoming election. The Prime Minister said a victory for Wilders’ party, the PVV, would “send a signal to the rest of the world” and urged voters to stop “the wrong populism”. Mr Rutte said: "There is a real risk that on March 16 we can wake up in this country and Geert Wilders is leading the biggest party and that will send a signal to the rest of the world.” 2pm GMT update: The latest Peil.nl poll found that the VVD has taken the lead in the polls and is expected to win 24 seats, two more than the PVV.