Liberals and Labour prosper in Dutch pro-Europe poll

Mark Rutte and his Liberals look set to be the biggest winners in the Dutch general election after exit polls showed the party picked up the largest number of seats in 150 seat parliament.

Rutte, who has led the country since 2010 will now sit down for talks on the make-up of the new government with the leader of the Labour Party Diederik Samsom.

Samsom’s Labour party also made gains as the Dutch voted for stability as the financial crisis continues to rattle the eurozone.

A coalition between the two parties now looks likely if the pair can overcome differences on how best to deal with the current economic outlook.

The Freedom Party of Geert Wilders were given a slap on the wrist by voters losing 11 seats.

Wilders prompted the election by pulling out of the coalition with the Liberals over budget cuts and wanted the vote to be a referendum on the relationship between The Hague and Brussels.

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