Visit our website:
http://www.france24.com
Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English
Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/France24_en
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
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]