THE HAGUE - The political parties that have spent months in an attempt to form a new Cabinet in the Netherlands appeared on the verge of a breakthrough after a period where the process looked to be stalled. Now, the PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB are ready to move forward with their negotiations, and all four parties are prepared to provide ministers to serve on the Cabinet, though they may not necessarily be politicians, anonymous sources close to the talks told broadcaster NOS. Together, they hold 88 out of 150 seats in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Parliament, but talks collapsed during the last round when the NSC suddenly backed out.
The far-right PVV, led by Geert Wilders, won the most votes in the November election that was held after the Cabinet collapsed over the summer. The election determined the composition of the Tweede Kamer. The PVV secured 37 seats and Prime Minister Mark Rutte's VVD, now led by Justice Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, won 24 seats. The right-wing VVD is the third largest party, and newcomer NSC, led by Pieter Omtzigt, is fourth-largest with 20 seats. The BBB now has 7 seats in the Tweede Kamer.
Shortly after the election, the VVD balked at joining a Cabinet, saying they suffered losses which were too steep to remain in power. The NSC said it preferred only to prop up a Cabinet from Parliament instead of serving in a Cabinet with the PVV. Omtzigt had reservations about working with the party, whose leadership has continuously harangued those who do not stand alongside Wilders on issues which are considered to threaten democracy and religious freedom in the Netherlands.
The form of a potential Cabinet between the four parties remains unclear. The talks are moving closer towards the concept of an extra-parliamentary Cabinet, according to NOS. Previously, Yesilgöz said she would only support such a form if all four parties were equally involved. “To break the impasse, I will step forward, and I ask Mr. Omtzigt to do the same,” she said last month.
Several experts have joined this round of Cabinet talks to explain different forms a Cabinet can have other than a traditional majority coalition. An extra-parliamentary Cabinet is often based on a generalized set of goals, and not an extensive coalition agreement with concrete plans. Such a formation is more removed from the politicians in Parliament, putting less pressure on MPs when voting on Cabinet initiatives.
Should the parties agree, they will likely make more concrete deals about public finances, immigration issues, and the global position of the Netherlands. Kim Putters, from the PvdA, is currently leading the formation talks. He is expected to present his final report on this round by March 14. According to NOS, the four parties are expected to keep speaking with each other in the next round of negotiations.
