The outcome of Wednesday's vote in the Netherlands could determine the strength of the far-right in a knife-edge race.View on euronews

The centre-left D66 party has made huge gains in the Netherlands’ general election, with it likely taking the lead in government formation talks as the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) haemorrhaged support among voters.

Voters and leading contenders cast their ballots across the Netherlands on Wednesday in a close-run snap election called after anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders brought down the last four-party coalition in a dispute over a crackdown on immigration.

Rob Jetten would be the Netherlands’ first openly gay leader, although his sexuality has not played an important part in the campaign. The Netherlands is known for its strong protections of LGBTQ rights and his party was in power when the Netherlands became the first country to legalise same-sex marriage 25 years ago.

Polls had suggested anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders and his Freedom Party were set to win largest number of seats.

The Netherlands is set to have a liberal prime minister in 38-year-old Rob Jetten, although the political direction of a new coalition government remains very unclear. According to exit polls, the liberal democratic party D66 is set to be the largest,

Prime Minister Dick Schoof called fresh elections following the first collapse of his government, which would go on to fall a second time within a few months.

Wilders won decisively when the Netherlands last voted in November 2023, but the final polls ahead of this vote suggest his support has slipped. Three rival parties have closed the gap, and with nearly half the electorate undecided on the eve of the vote, the result remained too close to call, reported news agencies.

Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel has announced the allocation of funds to support Ukraine's energy system. Source: van Weel on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda Details: Van Weel, who is visiting Kyiv,

To celebrate the 750th anniversary of the city of Amsterdam, the future queen relied on a cherished family heirloom.

The corridor will support the adoption of fuels like methanol, as both nations push to reduce emissions from maritime trade.