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UPDATE 6:30am Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutchalt-right Party for Freedom, and the closest challenger to topple two-term Prime Minister Mark Rutte, says the face of European politics is changed forever.

Voters took to the polls on Wednesday (AEDT) in a Netherlandselection widely viewed as a weather gauge of changeamid a continent-wide shift to the right and fears of a disintegration of the European Union.

A result in expected by noon Thursday (AEDT). The early turnout figure for the election was eight per cent higher than the 2012 election, Ipsos reported.

Prime Minister Ruttes right-wing VVD party led the polls ahead of the opening of the Dutch polling booths, but with strong support forMr Wildersanti-Islam Party for Freedom.

With elections in France and Germany scheduled for later this year already showing unprecedented support for far-right populism,political and financial observers are concerned bythe potential of a Trump-style shift away from traditional politics in favour of the emerging European alt-right.

The genie will not go back into the bottle. People feel misrepresented, Mr Wilders was quoted as saying by The Associated Pressas he cast his vote.

Despite what the elite wants, politicians are getting strong who have a totally different concept of what the people want them to do, he said.

Mr Rutte has portrayed himself as a safe custodian of the nations economic recovery throughout his campaign, whilecasting Mr Wilders as a far-right radical unprepared to make tough decisions.

With Britain now preparing itsexit from theEU and Scotland lobbying for another referendum on its future within the United Kingdom, the Netherlands election appears to offer the latest threat to an increasingly unstableEurope.

Mr Wildershaspledged to follow Britain by taking the Netherlands out of the European Union, as well as closing itsborders to immigrants from Muslim nations, shuttingmosques and banning the Quran.

Despite the popularity of Mr Wilders and his views, election observers give Party for Freedom only a slim chance of gaining power in a voting system that all but guarantees coalition governments.

France goes to the polls in May, when the far-rightNational Front led by MarineLePen is expected to go to a second round in the presidential election against the conservative Francois Fillon.

President Francois Hollande is not seeking re-election.

Ms Le Penwas one of the first politicians to congratulate Donald Trump on his election in the US, saying the property moguls ascension to power shows that people are taking their future back.

She is opposed to multiculturalism and has proposed that the children of illegal immigrants in France should be refused access to public schools.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is tipped to win a fourth term at her countrys September election, but is expected to lose seats as the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany Party (AfD) has surged in the polls.

Support for the AfD soared afterthe December 2016 truck attack in Berlin, while Ms Merkelsopen door approach to the migrant crisis has cost her dearly.

Polling booths in the Netherlands close at 7am AEST.

Link:
All eyes on Dutch election as European alt-right gains momentum - The New Daily