Netherlands general election: Tight race as Dutch vote for first new PM in 13 years

FRANCE 24 English

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00:00 It's a vote that's likely to reshape the Netherlands' political landscape.

00:04 And with pollsters predicting a tight three-way race that could go to the wire, Tuesday's

00:09 debate was a chance for candidates to make a final impression.

00:13 For far-right lawmaker Geert Wilders, this meant toning down his infamous anti-Islam

00:18 rhetoric to paint himself as the moderate choice.

00:21 "If I have the honour of becoming Prime Minister of the Netherlands, then I will be

00:25 a Prime Minister for all Dutch people.

00:28 Let that be crystal clear for everyone, whatever your faith, whatever your background."

00:33 Standing across Wilders, Dylan Yeselgus, the new leader of Mark Rutte's centre-right Party

00:39 for Freedom and Democracy, is vying to become the Netherlands' first female Prime Minister.

00:44 The former refugee now wants to drastically curb immigration, but sees herself as more

00:50 liberal than her far-right rival.

00:52 "When you look at Mr Wilders' plans, they really involve excluding the Netherlands from

00:58 the world.

00:59 Withdraw behind the dikes, lock the borders, that would make this country go bankrupt."

01:06 Making up the three-way race, a centre-left alliance of the Labour and Green parties,

01:11 led by former EU climate chief Frans Timmermans.

01:15 And trailing slightly behind in the polls, the far-left New Social Contract Party, formed

01:20 in the summer by Pieter Omtzigt, a dark horse that could become kingmaker, as whoever wins

01:26 the most seats will then have to form a ruling coalition.

01:30 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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