Dutch voters on Monday began casting ballots at bike-thru polling stations, churches and conference centres as three days of socially-distanced elections got underway in the Netherlands.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte, one of Europe's longest-serving leaders, is widely expected to gain enough support to secure a fourth term.

Without large face-to-face public events possible, the election campaign consisted of televised debates in which Rutte maintained his image as a steady hand during a time of crisis.