ELECTION RESULTS IN THE NETHERLANDS

The Dutch voted today.


The tentative results:

38 - 43 seats: CDA
[Christian Democratic Appeal (centrist).]

34 - 35 seats: PvdA
[Labour (semi-pragmatic socialists with more than a few wingnuts).]

24 - 30 seats: SP
[Socialist Party (formerly the Dutch Communist Party - far left and vicious).]

20 - 21 seats: VVD
[Liberals (centre to mildly rightwing, mostly rational, though wishy-washy).]


There are 150 seats in parliament.


The remaining seats went to small factions, including two centre-right parties (Geert Wilders and Marco Pastors), some to far-left fanatics, and at least two seats to the party for animals.

The Socialist Party (SP) is the big winner, going from nine seats to at least two dozen.

What this means is that the 'party formerly known as the Communist Party Netherlands' (PFKACPN) and its hacks, particularly chief party hacks Jan Marijnissen and Harry van Bommel, plus rigidly rabid ideologuette Anja Meulenbelt, are now more important than ever before, and will probably be a powerfull force in a leftwing coalition government.

At any rate, they are now in a position to act as spoilers on cabinet-formation and governmental policy.

Which bodes ill.

If the next government includes the PFKACPN and excludes the liberals, the relationship with the free world is headed for major changes. The Dutch socialists are foaming-at-the-mouth anti-American and anti-Israel, and are likely to demand re-assessment of Dutch relations with both countries, if not actually a thorough examination and airing of all previous connections.

It is in any case pretty certain that Dutch co-operation with the US in a number of fields is at risk.

What is also likely is the flight of Dutch investment capital to the US. This is something that has been subtly going on for years (Philips and ING been good examples of capital migration), but it is likely to increase enormously if the PFKACPN, as is expected, wages war on big corporations, restricts employers rights, and ups government subsidies for certain favoured groups.


So, I'm hoping for an unstable and embarassing coalition government that crashes ignominously within the first year, taking the reputation of the alleged "socialists" down permanently.

Fights, scandals, and recrimination.

I'm counting on some mega-examples of stupidity and irresponsibility from the Socialists - this is the first time they've ever had to "put up or shut up". Hubris and a complete lack of practical experience of any type will make things entertaining, at the very least. The transition from head-in-the-clouds- opposition to insider in the halls of power may be more of a series of clumsy stumbles than a smooth glide.