Dutch elections will set stage for polls in France, Germany

Paris

DUTCH elections on Wednesday will set the stage for others in France and Germany that come against a background of eurosceptic or anti-immigrant sentiments boosted by "Brexit".

On Wednesday, 12.9 million Dutch voters will be eligible to cast ballots in general elections contested by 28 parties and 1,114 candidates.

The vote has boiled down to a tight race between MP Geert Wilders and his Freedom Party (PVV) and Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his Liberals (VVD).

Polls indicate that the anti-euro, anti-Islam PVV could score its best result since its creation in 2006. The PVV would not necessarily be part of the next government however because that will likely be a coalition, and most parties have pl…