After coalition negotiations between four right-wing parties in the Netherlands failed, the formation of the first government of right-wing populist Geert Wilders is still a long way off. The center-right New Social Contract (NSC) party broke off talks on Tuesday evening and stated that it does not want to participate in a government.
The other three parties do not have a majority in parliament. Party leaders sharply criticized the decision on Wednesday and demanded an explanation from NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt.
They explained that the failure of the talks had left them overwhelmed. The parties learned this through the media. Wilders spoke of a “disrespectful” approach. “We have had good and constructive conversations. I don’t understand this,” Wilders said in The Hague.
What’s next?
“Under no circumstances do we want to make promises that we know are empty,” NSC chairman Pieter Omtzigt argued in a letter to his party colleagues – referring to the financial prospects of the future government – for withdrawing from the negotiations. In the evening, party leaders must meet together with the scout appointed by parliament to discuss how to proceed.
In the parliamentary elections of November 22, the radical right Wilders and his anti-Islam party PVV became the strongest force with 37 of the 150 seats. He wanted to form a coalition together with the right-wing liberal VVD, outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the NSC and the small right-wing protest party BBB. Now there could be a minority government – or even new elections.
NSC wants to support the minority government
NSC boss Omtzigt justified his decision on Tuesday evening in a TV talk show by saying that he had not been informed in time about the poor state of state finances. But he is willing to support a minority government.
Early next week, the prober, former minister Ronald Plasterk, will present his report on the negotiations to the House of Representatives. Parliament must then decide on further steps to form a government.
Source: Krone
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