Wilders does not rule out minority cabinet
One week after his big election victory, Dutch right-wing populist Geert Wilders has not ruled out a minority government. "Anything goes," said the politician in The Hague on Wednesday. "But I prefer a majority government." Wilders' anti-Islam party PVV had won 37 of the 150 seats. He needs at least two other parties for a majority.
The first phase of forming a government began on Wednesday morning. A head of talks is to sound out the parliamentary groups to see which coalition has a chance and present his report in the coming week.
Wilders wants to negotiate with three parties: the right-wing liberal VVD party of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the new centrist NSC party and the protest party Bauer Bürger Bewegung BBB.
Rutte's VVD party is rejecting participation in government for the time being due to its losses in the election, but would support a minority government. The NSC also has reservations about cooperating with the radical right-wing PVV due to its anti-constitutional views.
Wilders reiterated his willingness to compromise. He had previously said that he wanted to put demands for a ban on the Koran and the closure of mosques on hold.
The Parliament will start the process of forming a new government, with Wilders aiming to negotiate with the VVD, NSC, and BBB parties. Despite his victory, Wilders and his PVV party need at least two other parties to form a majority government in Parliament, as per the Government.
Source: www.dpa.com
