Dutch election debate cancelled after withdrawals of Wilders, Rutte

Dutch media company RTL decided to cancel the first major Dutch election debate on TV on Feb. 26, after withdrawals by PVV leader Geert Wilders and current Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the party VVD.

Both their parties think that RTL has violated a previous agreement on the number of participants in the so called "Prime Ministers" debate. The original idea was a debate between the leaders of the four biggest parties. However, RTL decided to invite five party leaders.

In the latest polls, the right-wing Party for Freedom PVV is in the lead, before the VVD (Liberals). Behind these two largest parties in the polls, the PvdA (Labor), SP (Socialist Party), CDA (Christian Democrats), D66 (Democrats) and GroenLinks (GreenLeft) are close to each other.

Besides Rutte and Wilders, RTL decided to invite Jesse Klaver (GroenLinks), Sybrand Buma (CDA) and Alexander Pechtold (D66), because the difference between the latter three parties in the polls are too minimal. Wilders therefore withdrew and the VVD also refused the invitation.

The debate was supposed to take place in Amsterdam on Feb. 26. On March 5, RTL will organize another debate in Amsterdam, which will go through with the leaders of the eight biggest parties.

The other major TV debate will be organized by national broadcaster NOS on March 14 in The Hague, one day before the elections, with 14 party leaders. Endit