A Right-Wing Government for the Netherlands?

According to Elsevier, the political impasse in the Netherlands has been broken, and a government will be formed. It will be a minority right-wing government that will not include Geert Wilders’ PVV, but will be supported by it.

This announcement validates the open letter to the Queen that I just posted.

Many thanks to our Flemish correspondent VH for the translation:

VVD, PVV, and CDA go for it: right-wing government is near

by Jeroen Langelaar

The Netherlands is heading for a right wing minority government consisting of the VVD and the CDA, with the support of the PVV. As far as the three parties concerned, the “formal” negotiations on this will start as soon as possible.^[1]

The three separate fractions decided this today (Friday), VVD leader Mark Rutte said. According to him, the Parties see future prospects.

In a joint statement, the three parties state: “There is much that unites us: making the Netherlands stronger, safer and more prosperous, is the common goal and starting point.”

In the “support-agreement” important demands by the PVV will be included: on the field of immigration, integration and asylum, safety and elderly care. The PVV will have to support the agreements on the budget cuts.

PVV leader Geert Wilders announced that he is very happy with the step taken.. “This may succeed. We will prove our reliability, and not send this government home on issues addressed in the government-agreement.”

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From 14.00 hours onwards Friday, party leaders Rutte, Wilders, and Maxime Verhagen (CDA) conducted consultations with their own fractions on possible cooperation in a government. Analysts expect that Rutte will be appointed by Lubbers as the new informateur.

Rutte, Wilders, and Verhagen, last week held “informal” negotiations on cooperation with one another. This happened at the initiative of the informateur.

Note:

[1]

This is similar to the “Danish model”, following the Danish People’s Party of Pia Kjærsgaard, who since 2001 successfully supported a government of Liberal and Conservative parties.