Dutch Elections Test Wilders After Coalition Collapse

The Netherlands is holding snap parliamentary elections on Oct. 29 that are widely seen as a referendum on Geert Wilders after he collapsed the governing coalition this year by demanding a far tougher migration agenda. Polls suggest Wilders's Party for Freedom (PVV) still tops many surveys but may lose seats after the upheaval, and major parties — including the centre-right VVD and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) — have pledged not to enter a PVV-led coalition. The CDA, led by Henri Bontenbal, has gained support campaigning on decency, stability and trust as an alternative to populism. Voters are motivated by grievances over migration, housing shortages and a sense of being left behind, and rising polarization has produced street rallies and threats that underscore the stakes. The result will determine whether the Netherlands can form a stable government and is being watched as a bellwether for how Europe's centre holds up against resurgent populism.