Party leaders quit after right's sweeping victory
Second place for Fortuyn's followers leads country into uncharted political waters as talks begin on coalition
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Your support makes all the difference.Dutch politics underwent a dramatic, post-election aftershock yesterday, with heads rolling at the top of two political parties, and supporters of the murdered right-winger Pim Fortuyn selecting a little-known former civil servant as their new leader.
The right's sweeping victory in Wednesday's elections took the country into uncharted political territory, as the leader of the triumphant Christian Democrats began trying to form the next government with a group of political novices. Mr Fortuyn's party, founded less than four months ago, is expected to be part of the coalition after finishing second.
From beyond the grave the anti-immigration campaigner also ended the political careers of his social democratic and Liberal rivals, with both Ad Melkert, the leader of the PvdA (Social Democrats) and Hans Dijkstal, the VVD (Liberal) leader, resigning.
For the prime minister in waiting, Jan Peter Balkenende, doing business with the eclectic followers of Mr Fortuyn will not be easy. Yesterday they chose, Mat Herben, a bespectacled former civil servant and defence ministry spokesman with none of the charisma of Mr Fortuyn, as their new leader.
Even in its hour of victory, Lijst Fortuyn lived up to its reputation for disorganisation, and bickering. A notable absentee from Wednesday night's Lijst Fortuyn celebrations in the Hotel des Indes in The Hague was Winny de Jong, the 43-year-old food safety executive who had been tipped to be leader. Her explanation was a concern about her security but she later failed to stand for the leadership, fuelling speculation that she was finding the limelight too stressful.
Peter Langendam, whose reign as party chairman lasted just two days, seemed to hint he might re-enter the fray – despite having resigned on Tuesday after accusing the left of provoking Mr Fortuyn's murder.
Those elected for Lijst Fortuyn include a lieutenant colonel in the military police, a cardiologist and a pig farmer. However, the former Miss Holland Irene Pantelic – who complained she was demoted down the party list after refusing the amorous advances of one of her colleagues – was not elected.
Under the Dutch system ministers do not have to be members of parliament and a handful of experienced outsiders may be brought in to to bolster the party's respectability. Those tipped include a business tycoon, Joop van den Nieuwenhuizen, and two high-profile lawyers, Gerard Spong and Oscar Hammerstein.
Nevertheless the party's lack of experience and anti-politician culture will make it an unstable coalition partner. Frits Bolkestein, a Dutch European Commissioner and former leader of the Liberal Party, predicted new elections within a year.
Given the seismic changes which Mr Fortuyn unleased upon Dutch politics, Mr Balkenende is duty bound to try to form a coalition with Lijst Fortuyn, but he will insist that the party's anti-immigrant rhetoric is toned down.
The Liberals, the other likely coalition partners, made it clear they would only back a coalition with Lijst Fortuyn if it moderated its behaviour. The Liberal MP Helle Voute said Lijst Fortuyn would have to "respect the rights of all people" if there was to be a pact.
What remained unclear was the extent to which the change of government will provoke a real shift to the right, particularly on social policy. Mr Balkenende wants to tighten the Netherlands' liberal drugs laws, is sceptical about euthanasia and backs recent changes to force those granted asylum to pay for Dutch language and culture classes. He is also likely to be tough on crime and will try to curb the Dutch practice of gedogen, turning a blind eye to minor breaches of the law.
However, even if the national government lays down guidelines on drugs policy and refugees, they are interpreted at local level, which may well limit the impact of any shift to the right.
At the EU level, the Netherlands may take a tougher line on negotiations with countries applying to join in 2004 – although Dutch officials doubt their country would seek to block enlargement.
Dutch election: final result
Number of seats in parliament
CDA (Christian Democrats) 43
Lijst Fortuyn 26
PvdA (Social Democrats) 23
VVD (Liberals) 23
Others 35
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