Preliminary exit poll in Dutch election says pro-business VVD party and Labor tie as top party

Pro-business, Labor tie in exit poll

AMSTERDAM — A preliminary exit poll in Dutch election says the pro-business VVD party and Labor finished in a dead heat as the largest parties, dealing a blow to the ruling party and giving a far-right party its best showing ever.

Projections showed the leading parties each winning 31 seats in the 150-seat parliament. Anti-Islam candidate Geert Wilders of the Freedom Party won 23 seats, ahead of Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende’s Christian Democrats with 21.

The projections Wednesday were based on exit polls by the private polling company Synovate, commissioned by the country’s three largest news organizations, the state-funded NOS broadcaster, RTL and the ANP news agency.

In recent years, the projections have proven accurate within a few seats.