Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 14 March 2017

Dutch election rivals clash in televised debate

MIKE CORDER representation voting sys-
Associated Press tem guarantees coalitions.
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands Referring to the ongoing
(AP) — Dutch Prime Minis- Dutch diplomatic row with
ter Mark Rutte and his main Turkey over Rutte’s decision
rival at national elections, to block two ministers from
the far-fight populist Geert addressing rallies in Rot-
Wilders clashed Monday terdam, Wilders said Rutte
in their only nationally tele- should “at least throw the
vised face-to-face debate Turkish ambassador and his
ahead of Wednesday’s staff out of the country.”
Rutte used the barb to at-
vote, with Wilders calling tack Wilders who, like Presi-
Rutte untrustworthy and dent Donald Trump, often
Rutte responding by say- communicates via tweets,
ing a Wilders government portraying Wilders as unfit
would plunge the Nether- to lead. “This is the differ-
lands into chaos. ence between tweeting
The Dutch election is be- from the couch and run-
ing seen as a key indicator ning the country,” Rutte
of the future of populism in said. “If you run the country
Europe after Britain’s vote you have to take sensible
to leave the European decisions.” Earlier Monday,
Union and Donald Trump’s Rutte said he wants the
victory in the U.S. presiden- Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, right, and right-wing populist leader Geert Wilders, arrive for a Netherlands to turn the tide
tial election. Later this year, national televised debate, the first head-to-head meeting of the two political party leaders since of populism in this week’s
two far bigger European the start of the election campaign, at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Monday, parliamentary election.
nations, France and Ger- March 13, 2017. “Remember the Brexit.
many, also go to the polls. (Yves Herman/Pool via AP) We all thought that would
Wilders’ Party for Freedom, mean the biggest party is Wilders, in turn, accused health care and immigra- never happen. Remember
or PVV, has been sliding one that walks away when Rutte of breaking election tion, Rutte insisted Wilders the U.S. elections,” he told
in polls recently but is still it gets difficult, which puts pledges and vowed that did not offer real solutions reporters in Rotterdam.
close to Rutte’s VVD. party interest above the taking the Netherlands out to problems. “So let’s not make that
“On Wednesday the Neth- national interest.” of the European Union - Wilders is unlikely to be able mistake again. These elec-
erlands has the chance The prime minister was re- one of Wilders’ key pledges to form the next govern- tions are crucial. Let us stop
to prevent us waking up ferring to Wilders’ aban- - would allow the Nether- ment even if he wins the the domino effect right
on March 16 and you are doning support for Rutte’s lands “to become the boss popular vote as all main- this week, this Wednesday.
the biggest party,” Rutte first minority coalition in in our own country again.” stream parties have ruled The domino effect of the
told Wilders. “That chance 2012 by refusing to back a But in a debate that fo- out working with him. The wrong sort of populism win-
is still very real. That would tough austerity package. cused on the economy, Netherlands’ proportional ning in this world.”q

Turkey sanctions the Netherlands over ministers’ treatment

SUZAN FRASER ing, said the sanctions The announcement came same rally in Rotterdam. Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu
Associated Press would apply until the Neth- hours after Turkey’s foreign The argument is over the and Family Affairs Minister
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Tur- erlands takes steps “to re- ministry formally protested Netherlands’ refusal to al- Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya,
key announced a series of dress” the actions that An- the treatment of a Turkish low Turkish officials to cam- would ask the European hu-
political sanctions against kara sees as a grave insult. minister who was prevent- paign there to drum up man rights court to weigh in
the Netherlands on Mon- “There is a crisis and a very ed from entering a consul- support among Turks who on their treatment. He add-
day over its refusal to al- deep one. We didn’t cre- ate in the Netherlands and are eligible to vote in an ed that he didn’t think the
low two Turkish ministers to ate this crisis or bring it to escorted out of the country April 16 referendum that court would rule in Turkey’s
campaign there, including this stage,” Kurtulmus said. after trying to attend a po- would greatly expand the favor.
halting high-level political “Those who did have to litical rally. powers of Turkish President Earlier, German Chancel-
discussions between the take steps to redress the The ministry also objected Recep Tayyip Erdogan. lor Angela Merkel backed
two countries and closing situation.” to what it called a “dispro- About 400,000 people with the Netherlands in its diplo-
Turkish air space to Dutch Other sanctions bar the portionate” use of force ties to Turkey live in the matic fight with Turkey, as
diplomats. Dutch ambassador entry against demonstrators at Netherlands, though it’s not NATO’s chief called for al-
Deputy Prime Minister Nu- back into Turkey and ad- a protest afterward. Sepa- clear how many are eligi- liance members to respect
man Kurtulmus, briefing vise parliament to withdraw rately, Turkey’s foreign min- ble to vote. each other and the Euro-
journalists after the weekly from a Dutch-Turkish friend- ister was denied permis- Erdogan said the two cabi- pean Union urged Turkey
council of ministers meet- ship group sion to land to address the net ministers — Foreign to calm down.q