Dutch go to provincial polls after shooting horror

Dutch voters on Wednesday head to provincial polls billed as a referendum on Prime Minister Mark Rutte's policies, after a campaign overshadowed by a possible terror attack on a tram.

Right-wing parties pushed the issue of integration back into the foreground as the country reeled from Monday's shooting in the city of Utrecht for which a Turkish-born man has been arrested.

The Dutch ballot will be widely watched abroad as a bellwether for European Parliament elections in May in which populist parties are expected to make broad gains.

Following the Utrecht attack, almost all political parties halted campaigning for the elections -- which are for provincial bodies but determine the composition of the Dutch senate or upper house of parliament.

Only the populist, anti-EU Forum for Democracy (FvD), led by Thierry Baudet, continued with a rally in the Hague's seaside suburb of Scheveningen, drawing sharp criticism from lawmakers.

The young and telegenic Baudet accused Rutte's government of "naive" immigration policies and told the crowd that a "change of course is needed, otherwise this is going to happen more often in the Netherlands."
Baudet's refusal to stop campaigning on Monday drew bitter condemnation from various MPs including Rob Jetten, leader of the left-leaning progressive D66 party -- a partner in Rutte's coalition -- calling the action "disgusting."
Baudet, known for his controversial statements such as "women in general excel less in jobs and have less ambition", defended his actions, telling reporters that "many of the reactions seemed a bit put-on and don't seem genuine."