Surely Rutte's free-market liberalism fits within the traditions of the VVD which has always been on the right wing of the Liberal International, in contrast to D66 who are more closely aligned with the "social democratic" wing of the Liberal Democrats of the UK. Your comments seem to suggest that the VVD is moving even further to the right which surely makes their commitment to the ELD group in the European Parliament even more strange. I would have thought their natural home would be with the UK Conservatives within the EPP.