Dutch govt collapses
Reuters, Amsterdam
The collapse of the Dutch center-right government over immigration policy will lead to an opposition Labour victory in early elections likely to be held in a few months, an opinion poll showed on Friday. Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende is set to hand in his government's resignation to Queen Beatrix on Friday, after a small party in his ruling coalition quit over the handling of the citizenship of a Somali-born Dutch lawmaker. Before new elections expected as early as September or October, a minority government based on the two remaining parties in Balkenende's coalition was expected to rule, with the help of rightwing parties. But Labour is set to grab 44 of the 150 parliamentary seats in the expected autumn elections, according to opinion polls. This would be well ahead of either party in Balkenende's remaining coalition, the VVD and CDA, which would win up to 33 seats and 38 seats respectively, according to opinion polls if elections were held now.
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