Politics and Elections in the Netherlands: Rutte III era

[Mike88]

Share of the vote, nationwide: (local elections)

32.7% Local parties
13.5% CDA
13.2% VVD
  9.0% D66
  8.4% GL
  7.3% PvdA
  3.9% CU
12.0% Others

Didn't find the national share for PVV, SP, DENK or FvD.

[Mike88]

Official: Government has resigned

So, general elections in mid February, or in March as it was expected?

[Mike88]

Is there any data on how turnout is going in the last 2 days?

[Mike88]

Turnout update:

https://twitter.com/EuropeElects/status/1372209123329196034

[Mike88]

Turnout at 74% one hour and a half before polls close:

https://twitter.com/EuropeElects/status/1372261995668443136

[Mike88]

Look at that D66 numbers.

[Mike88]

What's the reason of this dramatic surge of D66?

[Mike88]

What's the reason of this dramatic surge of D66?

Kaag very strong media performance and debates and probably last minute tactical voting from the left to vote against VVD (which is somwhat laughable)

Isn't that a bit useless? I mean, VVD and D66 are likely to renew the current government coalition, right?

[Mike88]

There will an update on the exit poll in 9 minutes, or so, right?

[Mike88]

VVD up one in the updated exit poll. D66 stays the same.

[Mike88]

Party vote share %: (from the 9pm exit poll)

https://twitter.com/ElectsWorld/status/1372285377776648192

[Mike88]

So, let me see if I get this right: Omtzigt was planned to be a cabinet minister in the negotiations between VVD, D66 and CDA; Rutte denied this but then "confidential" papers showed he actually talked about it and lied, correct? And now Rutte could be ousted because of this. I'm a bit confused on why this is so serious.

[Mike88]

So, let me see if I get this right: Omtzigt was planned to be a cabinet minister in the negotiations between VVD, D66 and CDU; Rutte denied this but then "confidential" papers showed he actually talked about it and lied, correct? And now Rutte could be ousted because of this. I'm a bit confused on why this is so serious.

CDA not CDU.

Well, its not so much that Omtzigt was going to be offered a seat cabinet, but its clear that Rutte wanted him silenced ("functie, anders" is open to debate), and you can do that by forcing them into a low level cabinet position or, of course, sending them to Brussels. Rutte denied he had issues with Omzigt, straight up to the camera. He lied. He is now devoid of credibility, and fighting for his career.  

Oh, sorry about the typo.

I understand your point, but, again, I don't see this as very serious. To be honest, that's quite common practice in my country (maybe that's why I don't see this as a problem.)

[Mike88]

So, let me see if I get this right: Omtzigt was planned to be a cabinet minister in the negotiations between VVD, D66 and CDU; Rutte denied this but then "confidential" papers showed he actually talked about it and lied, correct? And now Rutte could be ousted because of this. I'm a bit confused on why this is so serious.

CDA not CDU.

Well, its not so much that Omtzigt was going to be offered a seat cabinet, but its clear that Rutte wanted him silenced ("functie, anders" is open to debate), and you can do that by forcing them into a low level cabinet position or, of course, sending them to Brussels. Rutte denied he had issues with Omzigt, straight up to the camera. He lied. He is now devoid of credibility, and fighting for his career.  

Oh, sorry about the typo.

I understand your point, but, again, I don't see this as very serious. To be honest, that's quite common practice in my country (maybe that's why I don't see this as a problem.)

I also think its a storm in a teacup, but although the situation with Covid is serious, politics stays politics, and this is a pure political "water cooler" story.

Kaag has ditched him, she said in the debate today "here our ways part". So that suggests D66 are out of any Rutte-led coalition. Politically this is extremely harming his image. He was seen as honest to his supporters, but now he is caught just bare faced lying and trying to shift the blame to other sources because he realised he could be held responsible for political marginalisation of a now super-popular figure. Other party leaders can't be seen to support him anymore.

His other way out is the far right support him and CDA are also up for it, but many on the far right hate Rutte more than the Left (some consider him a leftist anyway). They can smell a scalp.

So its not just his credibility that is done : his political capital is too.

Ahh, right. It's more about his image rather than the content. The image of the pure/clean politician who never tells a lie and gives you straight all the time. And when the a small stain falls in the image, it's over, "On the best cloth, the stain falls" goes the saying.