Rutte, Wilders trade jibes in debate just before Netherlands vote

Rotterdam

DUTCH Prime Minister Mark Rutte and populist Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders questioned each other's credibility and integrity as they faced off on live national television for the first time in the country's election campaign, just 36 hours before the polls open.

The Liberal premier said he won't trust Mr Wilders again after the Freedom Party walked away from supporting Mr Rutte's first minority Cabinet in 2012 during an economic crisis.

"I'm not going to work with such a party again," Mr Rutte said at the end of the debate in Rotterdam on Monday evening. "Not in a Cabinet, and not even relying on you for support outside the government. No, never ever."

Mr Wilders accused Mr Rutte of breaking promises he made before the elections in 2012. "Who still believes Mr Rutte? I still see him standing there," the Freedom Party leader said. "We would get tax cuts, a tougher policy on immigration, we would get 1,000 euros (S$1,503). And what came out of these promises? We had record after record immigration…