Dutch coalition further weakened after Senate losses

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch Liberal-Labour government was further weakened after senate elections on Tuesday stripped it of an already fragile majority in the upper house of parliament, increasing the chance early elections will have to be called. Ministers have previously vowed to carry on, but the loss limits the ability of the government, which has a slim majority in the 150-seat lower house, to pass legislation. The upper house can block legislation, including the budget. Senators were delegated on Tuesday by provincial councils elected in March. The government had suffered losses in those polls after the Labour Party was deserted by its left-wing voters for backing the Liberals' tough fiscal policies. Elections are due in 2017 at latest. Calling elections now could mean big losses for Labour. Even before Tuesday's vote, the government had no absolute majority but was able to pass laws with the aid of three "constructive opposition" parties. Now, even with their support the government will have just 36 votes in the 75-seat senate, short of the majority the five parties had enjoyed until now. The government will need to secure the backing of more opposition parties if it is to pass next year's budget in September. A planned overhaul of the tax system could also be hindered. Prime Minister Mark Rutte's Liberal Party now has 13 seats, followed by the Christian Democrats, with 12 seats and the centrist D66 party, with 10. The far-right Freedom Party of anti-immigration populist Geert Wilders is tied with the far-left Socialist Party on nine seats. The two parties, united in their opposition to painful austerity, pushed Labour into sixth place with eight seats. (Reporting By Thomas Escritt; editing by Ralph Boulton)