Dutch start voting in general elections

THE HAGUE - Voters across the Netherlands started to cast ballots on Wednesday morning in the 2012 general elections in which the center-right Liberal party VVD and center-left Labor party PvdA are in pole-position to become the biggest party of the country.

The economy, the euro crisis, employment and the costs of care dominated the debates in recent weeks. These themes are most important now for the Dutch people.

Around 11,000 polling stations opened from 7:30 am local time (0530 GMT) to 9:00 pm (1900 GMT). An expected turnout of 75 percent of the 12 million registered voters will elect the 150 members of the parliament, the so-called Second Chamber of the States-General.

Preliminary results will be out late in the evening.