Early local elections in six newly-formed Dutch municipalities have brought gains for the conservative VVD. The opposition party became the biggest in southern Venlo, home town of anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders. His Freedom Party did not take part in any of the local elections, saying it was not able to field viable candidates.

The VVD also did well in Zuidplas, a new municipality near Rotterdam. Conservative Christian parties Christian Union and SGP retained their strong position in the town, which is in the Dutch "Bible belt", a string of traditional Protestant villages and towns stretching from southwestern Zeeland to Zwolle in the northeast. The Proud of the Netherlands party of conservative renegade Rita Verdonk got two seats on the Zuidplas local council.

Strongholds
The Labour party, which is part of the national government, did relatively well in the left-wing stronghold of northern Groningen, where elections were held in Oldambt. Likewise, the centre-right Christian Democrats held their own in the southern towns of Peel en Maas, Horst aan de Maas and Venray, which are in a traditionally Roman Catholic area.

Nationwide local elections will be held in March 2010. Wednesday's early elections were held after a number of smaller towns merged to form six new local authorities. Turnout was generally low, less than 50 percent.

Venlo town hall (Photo: FlickR/jbvkoos)