After his election victory, the right-wing populist is looking for a coalition with a majority. But other parties have great doubts.
A week after his clear election victory, the Dutch right-wing populist Geert Wilders has suffered another setback in his attempt to form a government. The new center party New Social Contract NSC is also currently rejecting a coalition with the far right. “I don’t want to open any negotiations at the moment,” said NSC chairman Pieter Omtzigt in The Hague. He cited constitutional concerns as the reason.
The right-wing liberal VVD of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte had previously rejected a coalition with Wilders’ extreme right-wing Party for Freedom (PVV). Wilders needs both parties for a stable majority. The first phase of government formation began on Wednesday. Wilders’ PVV had won 37 of the 150 parliamentary seats.
Rutte’s VVD party is initially refusing to take part in the government because of its losses in the election, but would support a minority government. NSC considers the PVV’s demands for a ban on the Koran and the closure of mosques to be unconstitutional.
Wilders did not rule out a minority government. “Anything goes,” said the politician in The Hague. “But I prefer a majority government.” The first phase of government formation began on Wednesday morning. A discussion leader should find out from the parliamentary groups which coalition has a chance and present his report next week. Wilders also wants to negotiate with the protest party Farmer Citizens Movement BBB.
Source: Stern
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