Lower thirds:

00:02 Report by Rosie Birchard

Script:

This fourteenth century fishing village looks like a post-card from the Netherlands,
with tourists flocking to the town to take a look at Dutch traditions.
It’s also one of the country’s far-right heartlands.
And as people head to the polls for the second time in two years,
There's one hot issue for voters here in Volendam.

+++VOX woman in shop EN+++
Immigration. Like everywhere in Europe. // We have to work very hard for them. You now because It’s our money!

+++VOX man EN+++
I hope we go to the right, so we have less immigrants.

Though the far-right is projected to top nationwide polls again, the Dutch political landscape has shifted since the last elections in 2023.
After breaking up their governing coalition after just 11 months,
Geert Wilders’ far-right Freedom Party is likely to lose some support here.
The far right blames the Netherlands’ complex housing crisis on immigration, 
and is regularly accused of stirring up hatred with its anti-Islam rhetoric -- especially in nearby Amsterdam.

+++SOT Leila, Dutch voter+++
It’s also again using one thing as the main problem which is not true, and also like raising hate speech against only muslims and blaming them on all problems in the Netherlands. I think it’s just a way to manipulate people’s opinions in a way that, looking away from all the problems that they have and blaming it on one group. 

But it’s the far-right’s political rivals that now have the power to lock them out of office.
Most major parties have vowed not to work with the Freedom Party after its ill-fated stint in government -- even if it comes out on top. 
With more than two dozen parties on the Dutch ballot, no single political force can win outright here.
That means compromise is key -- and the race for second place is the one to watch 
As left wing, centrist and conservative parties battle it out over who gets the chance to lead coalition talks and land the country’s top job.
Polls suggest many people across the country are still working out which party to back…
That’s something we also hear from voters back in Volendam.

+++VOX WOMAN EN+++
It’s difficult to choose.

+++VOX MAN EN+++
I don’t know. No idea. 

And it’s people like them -- undecided Dutch voters -- who might just determine which way the Netherlands goes next.