Dutch newspapers have heaved a collective sigh of relief as voters turned their backs on the anti-immigrant movement of murdered politician Pim Fortuyn and voted for the country's traditional parties.

The Christian Democrat party (CDA) won a two-seat lead over Labour (PvdA) - gaining 44 seats against 42 in the 150-seat parliament.

The election result created a new situation, which compels new considerations Trouw

"The Dutch voter has in a new upheaval profoundly changed the political landscape for the second time within eight months," says the centre-left NRC Handelsblad.

Another left leaning daily, De Volkskrant says the results show voters have "a strong desire to be governed from the political centre".

The centre-right Algemeen Dagblad agrees. It says the rejection of the Pim Fortuyn List (LPF) proves that voters have turned away from the "uncertain adventure of the 'new politics'".

The paper attributes the "resurrection of the Labour Party" to the work of its leader, Wouter Bos.

Coalition concerns

But many papers believe that the Christian Democrat's narrow win over Labour mean difficult coalition talks lie ahead.

De Volkskrant warns that the Christian Democrats are not keen on forming a coalition with the Labour Party because of major policy differences.

This view is echoed in the tabloid De Telegraaf. It doubts whether the two parties can form a stable cabinet with a sound financial policy, and calls for the defeated LPF to reunite.

"Only then it can offer, together with the Christian Democrats and Liberal Party, a real alternative to a centre-left cabinet, in the event the Labour Party fails to control itself."

The Protestant daily Trouw, however, disagrees and is more optimistic about a future Christian Democrat-Labour cabinet.

The paper believes that the political agenda of the Labour Party over the last few years has led to the belief that "the social programme of the future can be implemented best together with the Christian Democrats".

"The election result created a new situation, which compels new considerations," it says.

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.