In this episode, the Beyond the Byline podcast dives into the upcoming Dutch elections. Who can win the race, and what will the election result bring to the Dutch and the European Union?
This Wednesday, 22 November, the Dutch are heading to the polls to vote in a snap parliamentary election. For the first time in 16 years, Mark Rutte, the previous prime minister whose government collapsed in July, is not running.
The Dutch political scene is somewhat messy and unpredictable, with potentially up to 18 parties winning seats in parliament, possibly heralding a long period of coalition-building talks.
But internationally, the expected change in leadership might also spell the end of the Netherlands playing a key role in making deals within the European Union, according to Sarah De Lange, a professor of political pluralism at the University of Amsterdam.
We ask De Lange why this is a landmark election, who will win the race, and what the outcome will mean for the Dutch and for the European Union.