European leaders have reacted positively to Prime Minister Mark Rutte's expected victory in Dutch elections, and have also commented on the political fate of far-right leader Geert Wilders.
A spokesman for the German chancellor said Angela Merkel had congratulated Rutte on the phone.
"I look forward to continuing co operation as friends, neighbours and Europeans," she told him on Wednesday night, according to her spokesman Steffen Seibert, who quoted her on Twitter.
A spokesman for the European Commission President said Jean-Claude Juncker had also called Rutte to offer his congratulations.
"A vote for Europe, a vote against extremists," Juncker was quoted as telling Rutte in the call.
Former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt commented on Rutte's victory on Twitter, saying, "Higher turnout, and a clear victory in the Netherlands for what we might call the decent centre. Encouraging for all."
But many of the comments made by European leaders focused more on the failure of right-wing populist leader Geert Wilders to come to power after his anti-Islam PVV party won only 19 seats.
French President Francois Hollande congratulated Rutte on his election success and his "clear victory against extremism".
"Congratulations to the Dutch for stemming the rise of the far right," tweeted Hollande's foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault.
Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni also took to the social media platform saying, "No #Nexit. The anti-EU right has lost the elections in the Netherlands."
Meanwhile, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon needed just one word to give her verdict on the news that exit polls were showing that Wilders had been defeated.
"Good," she said, in her short retweet.
