Exit polls in the Dutch parliamentary election on Wednesday predicted that the ruling Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) led by Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende would remain the largest party winning 43 seats in the 150-seat lower house of parliament.

This represents a one-seat loss from the 2003 election. However, the opposition Labor Party fared even worse, with a predicted 35 seats, seven less than last election.

The biggest winner was the left-wing Socialist Party, campaigning against EU enlargement and Dutch participation in NATO operations, which is likely to see its seats climb from nine to 24.

The conservative People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), a coalition partner, is predicted to lose seven of its current 28 seats.

The animal-rights Party for the Animals is entering parliament for the first time with an expected three seats.

Polling stations closed at 9 PM (20:00 GMT) after twenty-four parties took part in the contest.

Negotiations for a new cabinet are likely to be difficult, since neither the governing coalition nor the left-wing opposition has a majority.

Although Balkenende has voiced reluctance to form a coalition with Labor, the result of the tight race might force him into a "grand coalition" like the third Ruud Lubbers cabinet between 1989 and 1994.

During his four years in office, Balkenende claimed credit for the country's economic upswing due tight budget control and social-economic reforms.

However, the reforms were criticized by Wouter Bos, leader of the opposition Labor Party. Terming them heartless, Bos said the reforms were hard on the poor and the elderly.

(Xinhua News Agency November 23, 2006 )