Slow progress in city coalition forming

Tuesday 09 March 2010

The process of forming a new local government in Rotterdam is likely to be a slow process and a number of political parties have called for the appointment of an independent negotiator to step in.

The PvdA (Labour) and local populist party Leefbaar Nederland both won 14 seats on the 45-seat council executive, but the PvdA won slightly more votes, giving it the lead hand in the negotiations.

Local Labour leader Dominic Schrijer told the Telegraaf there is a need for an independent look at the different party manifestos to see where there is agreement and disagreement between them.

Labour has already said it will not form a coalition with Leefbaar and Leefbaar has made a formal complaint about 'irregularities' in some polling stations.

An official committee will decide on March 16 if there is to be a recount or a new vote in Rotterdam.

The Hague

Meanwhile, in The Hague, Labour leader Jeltje van Nieuwenhoven invited all the parties who won seats on the council to a public meeting to kick of the process of forming a new executive.

Labour is the biggest party in the political capital with 10 seats. Geert Wilders' anti-Islam PVV took eight. Van Nieuwenhoven said she wants the coalition formation process to be as open as possible.

On Monday it emerged Wilders will actually take up his seat on the city council. He was elected on preference votes.

Labour is steering towards a coalition with the two Liberal parties VVD and D66 and the left-wing greens GroenLinks, Nos tv reported.

The PVV has made a ban on Islamic headscarves in public buildings the main condition for it to join a coalition.

© DutchNews.nl

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