Dutch queen to address nation amid uncertainty

[September 18, 2012]  AMSTERDAM (AP) -- Adoring crowds dressed in orange will line the streets of The Hague on Tuesday to see the Netherlands' Queen Beatrix travel by horse-drawn carriage from her palace for her annual address to Parliament on the nation's finances, as part of the country's "Prinsjesdag" festivities.

She will mention the weak economy, but likely skim over most particulars of how the government will respond.

That's because Prinsjesdag this year falls just six days after national elections, before a new parliament can be sworn in.

Her speech was written by Prime Minister Mark Rutte on the basis of an "austerity" budget struck quickly after his right-wing Cabinet collapsed in April. Rutte is expected to form a new centrist government that will change direction but stick to European budget deficit rules.

[Associated Press; By TOBY STERLING]

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