New populist BBB wins Dutch vote; Rutte coalition down
By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A new populist party riding the anger among Dutch farmers and rural communities at government policies to rein in agricultural pollution appears to be the big winner in provincial elections. The voting Wednesday also will indirectly decide the makeup of the Netherlands national senate and the win for the BBB party is seen as a powerful protest vote against Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his four-party center-right governing coalition. An exit poll predicting the 75 seats in the senate says the BBB will probably emerge with 15 seats, tying it as the biggest bloc with a combination of the center-left Labor Party and Dutch Green Party