Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte has claimed victory for his conservative VVD party in national elections widely seen as a referendum on the Netherlands’ commitment to Europe.

Dutch voters are going to the polls to elect a new parliament in a test of whether they have the stomach to continue with stringent austerity measures.

Owners of marijuana-selling cafes in The Netherlands are urging their customers to vote for politicians who oppose new plans to rein in drug use.

The Dutch government, one of the most vocal critics of European countries failing to rein in their budgets, quit after failing to agree on a plan to bring its own deficit in line with EU rules.

The Dutch government, one of the biggest critics of European countries failing to rein in their budgets, has resigned after disagreeing on a plan to bring its own deficit in line with EU rules.