Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende tendered his Cabinet’s resignation to Queen Beatrix today, a move that will ultimately lead to new elections.

DUTCH politicians yesterday began what could be months of bargaining to form a coalition after elections that put centrist parties back in control and relegated an anti-immigration party to the far-right fringe.

Dutch voters appeared evenly split between the country’s two major parties as they voted today, raising the prospect that the next government may be a “grand coalition” of the rival camps.

The Netherlands’ Labour Party appeared poised to return as the country’s biggest party today as Dutch voters cast their ballots.