As Dutch elections near, posters proliferate
As March 15 parliamentary elections approach in the Netherlands, banners and posters supporting the candidates have popped up everywhere in Dutch cities and villages — on roadsides and street medians, in fields and parks, and at farms and homes.
The entrance of a small campsite that once used to be a farm in the Dutch province of Gelderland features an election banner supporting SGP, the Reformed Political Party. It reads "It is the time for the farmers, vote for Dijkgraaf." But Wim van Nijhuis, the 60-year-old owner of the former farm, will not vote for the SGP — he believes its values are too extreme and says his vote will go to the more moderate Christian Democratic Appeal. He put the banner up because a friend asked him to place it by the entrance facing the main road.
In this Saturday, March 4, 2017 photo, an election banner supporting the Reformed Political Party, SGP, and reads "It is the time for the farmers, vote for Dijkgraaf", is displayed by the entrance of a campsite that used to be farm in Ermelo, Netherlands. March 15 marks the general election in the Netherlands. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
"The difficulty in this election is that you see a huge separation between all the parties," van Nijhuis said. "Most of the Dutch people are not as radical as it appears now in the news, we hope we will get a government with reasonable politicians."
Pollsters are predicting that Prime Minister Mark Rutte's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy will lose about 15 of its 40 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives. Far-right, anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom, which currently has 12 lawmakers in the chamber, is on track to become one of the biggest, if not the biggest, parliamentary factions.
However, Wilders' hard-line anti-Islam, anti-immigration platform has driven away potential coalition partners among mainstream parties, meaning that he is unlikely to be able to form a government even if he wins the popular vote.
In this Saturday, March 4, 2017 photo, an election poster showing Jesse Klaver, from the GroenLinks party, is displayed in a field in Nagele, Netherlands. March 15 marks the general election in the Netherlands. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
In this Saturday, March 4, 2017 photo, an election banner showing Sybrand Buma, from the Christian Democratic Appeal party, CDA, is displayed in a field in Putten, Netherlands. March 15 marks the general election in the Netherlands. Banner reads in Dutch "Vote on the 15th of March". (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
In this Friday, March 3, 2017 photo, an election banner showing Rosemarijn Dral, from the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, VVD, is displayed in a field in Zaandam, Netherlands. March 15 marks the general election in the Netherlands. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
In this Saturday, March 4, 2017 photo, an election poster showing Kees van der Staaij, from the Reformed Political Party, SGP, is placed by a tree in Ermelo, Netherlands. March 15 marks the general election in the Netherlands. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
In this Saturday, March 4, 2017 photo, an election billboard with posters of various political parties is displayed in a street median in Putten, Netherlands. March 15 marks the general election in the Netherlands. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
In this Sunday, March 5, 2017 photo, a damaged election poster showing, left, Thierry Baudet and Theo Hiddema, from the Forum for Democracy party, FVD, is displayed in a park in Amsterdam, Netherlands. March 15 marks the general election in the Netherlands. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
In this Friday, March 3, 2017 photo, an election poster showing Lodewijk Asscher, from the Labour Party, PvdA, is displayed on the window of a home in Edam, Netherlands. March 15 marks the general election in the Netherlands. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
In this Saturday, March 4, 2017 photo, an election poster showing Gert-Jan Segers, from the Christian Union party, CU, is displayed by the entrance of a home in Putten, Netherlands. March 15 marks the general election in the Netherlands. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
In this Friday, March 3, 2017 photo, an election billboard with torn posters that read partly Geert, referring to Geert Wilders leader of Party for Freedom, PVV, is displayed on a roadside in Volendam, Netherlands. March 15 marks the general election in the Netherlands. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
In this Friday, March 3, 2017 photo, an election billboard with posters of various political parties is displayed on a roadside in Lisse, Netherlands. March 15 marks the general election in the Netherlands. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
In this Sunday, March 5, 2017 photo, an election billboard with posters of various political parties is displayed on a sidewalk in Amsterdam, Netherlands. March 15 marks the general election in the Netherlands. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
In this Saturday, March 4, 2017 photo, an election banner supporting the Christian Union, CU, is hung on trees in a cycling lane in Putten, Netherlands. March 15 marks the general election in the Netherlands. Banner reads in Dutch "Respect, Care, Faithfully, Hope, Christian Union, give faith a voice". (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
In this Wednesday, March 1, 2017 photo, an election poster showing Marianne Thieme, from the Party for the Animals, PvdD, is displayed on the window of a house in Amsterdam, Netherlands. March 15 marks the general election in the Netherlands. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
In this Friday, March 3, 2017 photo, an election poster showing Lodewijk Asscher, from the Labour Party, PvdA, is placed on a street median in Purmerend, Netherlands. March 15 marks the general election in the Netherlands. Poster reads in Dutch "Forward Together". (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
Text from the AP news story, AP Photos: As Dutch elections near, posters proliferate, by Muhammed Muheisen.
Muhammed Muheisen is The Associated Press' chief photographer for the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
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