THE NETHERLANDS: The Christian Democrats, who won 43 seats in the 150-seat parliament, are expected to form a government with other right-wing parties, including the followers of the murdered politician, Mr Pim Fortuyn, writesDenis Staunton, European Correspondent
List Pim Fortuyn, which has chosen 49-year-old Mr Mat Herben as its new leader, emerged as the second-largest party in Wednesday's election.
The Social Democrats of the outgoing prime minister, Mr Wim Kok, lost almost half their seats.
List Pim Fortuyn was under pressure yesterday to tone down its opposition to immigration after the Christian Democrat leader, Mr Jan Peter Balkenende, ruled out closing Holland's borders to immigrants.
"Balkenende has said it would be unacceptable to argue no more immigrants should be allowed into the Netherlands," a Christian Democrat spokesman said.
Dutch society was still reeling yesterday after Wednesday's vote, which ended eight years of centre-left government.
The Social Democrats and the Liberal VVD, which also lost support, have elected new leaders and embarked on a painful period of soul- searching.
Following yesterday's talks with leaders of all 10 parties in parliament, Queen Beatrix was expected to nominate a "mediator" from the Christian Democrats, as the largest party, to conduct coalition talks.
Mr Balkenende has made clear that he hopes to become prime minister and Mr Herben warned that excluding List Pim Fortuyn from government would be flouting the will of the people.
"The Christian Democrats have piggybacked on the success of List Pim Fortuyn," he said.
A 46-year-old former economics professor at Amsterdam's Free University, Mr Balkenende became his party's leader in October last year. Down to earth and a little straitlaced, he has never taken drugs and, although he drinks alcohol, has seldom been drunk.
Liberal on sexual issues and on euthanasia, Mr Balkenende wants to crack down on crime and to toughen Holland's rules on illegal drugs.
Although he avoided making personal attacks on Mr Fortuyn, the Christian Democrat leader has made clear he does not share his views on immigration and rejects the characterisation of Islam as a "backward culture".
Some List Pim Fortuyn candidates have signalled a softening of their anti-immigration policies and the party's deputy leader, Mr Joao Varela, said it would not be necessary to close Holland's borders.
Since the election, Mr Herben has spoken about the party's policies on crime, health and education but has not mentioned immigration.
The List Pim Fortuyn has 26 seats in the new parliament but if it is invited to join the government, the party is expected to nominate outsiders as ministers.
Mr Fortuyn's murder last week provoked an almost unprecedented outpouring of public grief in Holland. A vegan, animal rights activist has been charged with the murder.
AFP reports from Brussels:
Belgium has become the second country in the world after the Netherlands to make euthanasia legal under specific circumstances.
In a vote late on Thursday, the Belgian parliament voted 86-51, with 10 abstentions, to adopt euthanasia legislation.
In a statement yesterday, the Catholic bishops of Belgium denounced the legislation.
Under the law, a doctor who carries out a mercy killing will not be guilty of committing a crime if the patient is terminally ill and has made the decision themselves.