国际英语新闻:Dutch party leaders seem optimistic despite unpredictable election results

THE HAGUE, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- About 12.7 million voters across the Netherlands started to cast ballots on Wednesday morning in the country's general elections.

Among them were leaders of the two major competing parties the center-right liberal party VVD and center-left labor party PvdA.

In an elegant neighborhood of The Hague, a primary school was transformed into a voting station. Among the voters, many elderly people were waiting in queue, while the youth would bring out their votes after work.

"I like the voting part, but what I enjoy the most is to watch the results on television tonight," a senior told the administrative staff, while waiting for his ballot paper to be checked.

But the heavily packed security guards at each corner of the room made the voting station appear different, because of the coming of the outgoing Prime Minister and VVD leader Mark Rutte.

Surrounded by his press officer and security staff, Rutte, who lives in this district, came in, smiling towards numerous international journalists in the room.

"Is there coffee ready for all the press?" he joked while putting the ballot paper in the box.

About 25 km away, Rutte's main rival, PvdA leader Diederik Samsom voted in his hometown in Leiden.

Accompanied by his wife and two children, the party leader seemed tired.

"I went to bed too late yesterday and I didn't sleep well. It is such an exciting day today. I think that today we will not do much. I will spend the day with my family," he said.

Whatever the outcome, both parties might need each other to form a government, an option neither of them prefers. Rutte even called this coalition "unlikely."

Other choices for forming a coalition government include the Socialist Party SP of Emile Roemer, the right-wing populist Party of Freedom PVV of Geert Wilders, D66 (Democrats), CDA (Christian Democrats), GroenLinks (GreenLeft) and ChristenUnie (Christian Union).

In the southern part of the country, approximately 100 km away from The Hague, a small town called Sambeek is home to Roemer, whose SP party is the third biggest party according to the latest polls.

Strolling on the streets, shaking hands with the inhabitants, talking with the mayor, Roemer appeared very relaxed despite the fall of his party in the latest polls from 30 last week to 20 seats this week.

"I will spend the day with my family. And I need to work in the garden, the grass has not been cut for a long time," he said.

Over 10,000 polling stations opened from 7:30 a.m. local time (0530 GMT) to 9:00 p.m. (1900 GMT). Preliminary results will be out late in the evening.