Right-wing populist leader Wilders forms a coalition.
Six months following the Dutch elections, a new government is taking shape. Wilders, the right-wing populist, faced difficulties in securing partnerships. He had to abandon his aspirations to become prime minister several weeks ago. However, now he claims a breakthrough.
After almost six months since the parliamentary elections in the Netherlands, Geert Wilders and three other right-wing parties have agreed on a coalition deal. Wilders made this announcement in The Hague. The leaders of the four parties have agreed on a plan. The parliamentary groups of the four parties will now be consulted. A government formation might be finalized by the end of the day. Wilders could also nominate a candidate for the prime minister position.
This would allow him to meet the deadline set by parliament for negotiations, which expires at midnight. This morning, the parliamentary group leaders said that they only needed to clarify details. These talks have been very challenging for a long time - a breakthrough only seemed imminent during the night.
In the election on November 22, Wilders and his radical right-wing Party for Freedom secured 37 out of the 150 parliamentary seats. His potential coalition partners are the right-wing liberal VVD led by former Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the new right-wing conservative NSC, and the right-wing populist farmers' party BBB. Together, they would comprise 88 of the 150 parliament members.
The prospective partners announced their intention of forming a loose alliance. They seek a ministerial team, composed of half non-party experts. To pave the way for a right-wing government, Wilders had expressed his readiness to abandon the role of prime minister. The parliamentary group leaders of the other three parties will also remain in parliament.
The current Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, has served as the head of government for more than 13 years. His center-right coalition collapsed in a dispute over the asylum policy during the summer of 2023. In the summer, Rutte announced his departure from politics. The 57-year-old is the leading candidate for the position of NATO Secretary General.
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Geert Wilders, the right-wing populist leader from the Netherlands, has forged a coalition agreement with three other right-wing parties following the Dutch elections. The new government may be formed by the end of the day, allowing Wilders to meet the parliamentary deadline and potentially nominate a prime minister candidate.
Source: www.ntv.de
