THE HAGUE (BNO NEWS) — Dutch voters went to the polls on Wednesday as surveys showed a growing support for right-wing parties and candidates seeking to restrict immigration into the European country, but also economic policies played a major role.

The first polling station opened at 5 a.m. CET at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, but polling stations nationwide opened at 7.30 a.m. CET. A lower than expected number of voters turned out to vote, with only 66 percent by 7.45 p.m., just over an hour before polls closed. During earlier elections, the number was 75 percent at the same time.

The last coalition government, Balkenende IV, was scheduled to be in office until 2011 but collapsed on February 20 when Labour Party (PvdA) ministers resigned over differences whether to extend the country’s mission in Afghanistan beyond an August deadline for withdrawal.

Current Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende’s party – the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) – wanted to stay in Afghanistan, despite an earlier agreement to pull out troops by August 2010.

But the Labour Party, which was led Deputy Prime Minister Wouter Bos at the time, opposed to fulfilling a NATO request to extend the mission again. Bos resigned days after the collapse of the government, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. He was replaced by Mayor of Amsterdam Job Cohen, who in return resigned as Mayor.

And although the election campaign may have been fairly brief, the campaigns were mostly dominated by concerns over the Dutch economy, as well as immigration.

Even before the collapse of the coalition government, Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders dominated the airwaves frequently with his controversial remarks over the Islam and immigration in general. In late March, polls showed that more and more Dutch were interested in his Freedom Party party.

A poll by pollster Maurice de Hond on March 22 showed that his Freedom Party had become so popular that he would have received a total of 29 seats – out of 150. But as the campaign continued, polls showed that his popularity was falling.

In De Hond’s poll of May 31, the free-market liberal People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) – led by Mark Rutte – had taken the lead with a total of 37 seats. The Labour Party was following second with 28 seats, while the Christian Democratic Appeal placed third with 25 seats.

That same poll showed only 17 seats for the Freedom Party, but would still nearly double the party’s current number of nine seats in the House of Representatives. The Freedom Party also has five seats in the European Parliament.

But the first exit polls showed a dramatically different picture, with both the VVD as well as the PvdA receiving 31 seats. Wilders’ PVV secured 23 seats in the RTL News poll.

Prime Minister Balkenende now appears extremely unlikely to return as Prime Minister for a fifth term. During the campaign he was often criticized by other candidates because none of his previous governments served a full 4-year term.

In RTL’s exit poll, Balkenende’s CDA party received only 21 seats – a dramatic drop from its current 41 seats.

Rutte – whose VVD party is now thought to become the largest or second-largest party – has advocated steep budget cuts, a pared-down government and a reduction in benefits for immigrants during the campaign. But, even if he secures the most seats, the party will still have to forge a coalition with at least two other parties in order to secure a governing majority of 76 seats.

In Tuesday’s final television debate, Rutte said he hoped for 35 seats in Wednesday’s elections. Cohen said he hoped to secure 34 seats, while Balkenende said he aimed for 34 seats. Wilders said he expected to secure at least 25 seats.

The House of Representatives in the Netherlands has a total of 150 seats. In the current cabinet, the CDA party has the most seats: 41. PvdA follows with 33 seats.

The first official results are expected by midnight.

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