4 d. ago Centrist D66 party will win most seats in Dutch election, exit poll predicts

Result would pave the way for the Netherlands’ first out gay prime minister and end far-right populist Geert Wilders’ time in powerThe liberal-progressive D66 party was on track to become the largest in the Dutch parliament, according to an exit poll, after a snap general election in which Geert Wilders’ far-right Freedom party was predicted to lose a third of its seats.The exit poll, with a one- to two-seat margin of error, gave the centrist party an estimated 27 MPs in the 150-seat assembly, possibly clearing a path for its 38-year-old leader, Rob Jetten, to become the Netherlands’ youngest and first out gay prime minister. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Centrist D66 party projected to win most seats in Dutch election

Result would pave the way for the Netherlands’ first out gay prime minister and end far-right populist Geert Wilders’ time in powerThe liberal-progressive D66 party was forecast to become the largest in the Dutch parliament, after a snap general election in which Geert Wilders’ far-right Freedom party was predicted to lose a third of its seats.With half of all votes counted early on Thursday, the centrist D66 party was projected to win 27 seats in the 150-seat assembly, beating the Freedom party on 25. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Centrist D66 party set to win most seats in Dutch election, exit poll suggests

Result would pave the way for the Netherlands’ first out gay prime minister and end far-right populist Geert Wilders’ time in powerThe liberal-progressive D66 party was on track to become the largest in the Dutch parliament, according to an exit poll, after a snap general election in which Geert Wilders’ far-right Freedom party was seen losing a third of its seats.The poll, with a one- to two-seat margin of error, gave the centrist party an estimated 27 MPs in the 150-seat assembly, possibly clearing a path for its 38-year-old leader, Rob Jetten, to become the Netherlands’ youngest and first out gay prime minister. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago The Dutch go to the polls again in a snap election caused by anti

The Netherlands is heading to the polls again, less than two years after Geert Wilders led his party to a surprise victory

Politics

9 d. ago 'I'm a tech expert and I would snap up these electronic deals on Wowcher'

Wowcher is the place to go for discounted tech and electronics this Christmas

Economics

1 week ago The Dutch election: key players and main issues in the snap poll

Voters could swap a rightwing government for a more moderate coalition – but the fragmentary political system makes any outcome possibleHere is the lowdown on elections in the Netherlands, where voters look likely to swap the most rightwing government in recent Dutch history for a more moderate, commonsense coalition in a snap parliamentary ballot on 29 October. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago New French PM to be named by Friday as Macron resists pressure to call snap elections

Government spokesperson says it may be ‘last chance’ for politicians to regain credibility and cut risk of far right taking powerEmmanuel Macron will name a new prime minister by Friday evening, his office has said, hinting at the French president’s hopes that a sixth prime minister in less than two years will manage to steer a budget through the country’s deeply fragmented parliament.“This might be the last chance,” government spokesperson Aurore Bergé told RTL radio on Thursday. “I believe this is the last chance for politicians to regain credibility ... all of this is only strengthening the chances and capabilities of the far right to take power.” Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Macron could name a new French PM in next 48 hours, says outgoing premier

Sébastien Lecornu says prospect of a snap parliamentary election is receding

Politics

3 w. ago Outgoing French PM says ‘path still exists’ to avoid snap elections

Sébastien Lecornu says majority of MPs willing to seek agreement on budget and avoid further instabilityFrance’s caretaker prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has said a majority of MPs “rejects the idea” of snap elections and that “a path still exists” that should allow Emmanuel Macron to appoint a new premier within 48 hours.“Several groups are willing to seek agreement on a budget” for 2026, Lecornu told France 2 public television on Wednesday, and were making clear their “conditions”. Talks would be difficult, he said, but “the prospect of a dissolution [of parliament] is fading”. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Outgoing French PM hopeful for concessions to avoid snap elections

Sébastien Lecornu continues meetings with party leaders in effort to pass budget and avoid further political instability• Europe live – latest updatesFrance’s caretaker prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has said his talks with various party leaders had revealed a “willingness” to pass a budget by the end of the year and that snap parliamentary elections were now looking less likely.“This willingness creates a momentum and a convergence, obviously, which make the possibilities of a dissolution more remote,” he said in a brief address on Wednesday from the courtyard of Matignon Palace, the prime minister’s residence, in Paris. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Outgoing French PM says ‘there is desire’ to agree budget and talks down prospect of snap election – Europe live

Sébastien Lecornu speaks at the Matignon Palace and expresses optimism that parliament will not need to be dissolvedLecornu clarified on Wednesday that outgoing ministers from his government would not be entitled to compensation, according to Le Monde.The resigning prime minister noted in his speech that the topic of compensation for such ministers had upset “a certain number of French people”.It turns out that members of the government, when they leave office, are entitled to three months of compensation when they have no other income.It is obvious that ministers who were ministers for only a few hours will not be entitled to these compensations. I have decided to suspend them.This willingness creates a momentum and a convergence, obviously, which make the possibilities of a dissolution more remote. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago The Guardian view on political chaos in France: the gift that keeps on giving to Marine Le Pen and the far right | Editorial

Influential abroad, Emmanuel Macron’s strategic errors at home are bringing mainstream French politics into disrepute at a crucial momentIn Jean-Paul Sartre’s 1944 play No Exit, hell is portrayed as a locked room in which characters are condemned to fall out and squabble for all eternity. Ever since foolishly calling a snap election which delivered a deadlocked and divided national assembly, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, has found himself trapped in a modern political version of the same plot.On Monday morning, the third prime minister Mr Macron has appointed in just over a year became the latest to throw in the towel, after only 27 days in the job. Hours after unveiling his ministerial team, Sébastien Lecornu stood down following a backlash from centre-right allies, who objected to the number of carryovers from François Bayrou’s previous administration. By Monday evening, Mr Macron had persuaded Mr Lecornu to conduct a round of last-ditch negotiations to try to resolv...

Politics

3 w. ago Macron under pressure to call snap parliamentary elections or resign

French president’s former allies join opponents in demanding he act to end a spiralling political crisisFrance’s president, Emmanuel Macron, is under intense pressure to call snap parliamentary elections or resign as former allies join his opponents in demanding he act to end a spiralling political crisis in the EU’s second biggest economy.Macron’s first prime minister on Tuesday urged the president to step down amid mounting frustration even within the president’s own camp over one of the worst spells of political chaos in France since the foundation of its Fifth Republic in 1958. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Why has France’s PM resigned after 27 days – and what could happen next?

Sébastien Lecornu has blamed ‘partisan attitudes’ and ‘certain egos’ after becoming latest casualty of crisis that began with 2024 snap electionEurope live – latest updatesFrance’s prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has resigned along with his government, less than a month after his appointment and within hours of the new cabinet being announced, dramatically deepening the country’s political crisis.It is the latest shock development in a series of events that suggest France, the EU’s second-biggest member state, is becoming increasingly ungovernable. Here is a look at what just happened, why – and what might come next. Continue reading...

Politics