A new purple coalition – a combination of the two Liberal parties and Labour – is ‘extremely unlikely’ , VVD leader Mark Rutte said during Sunday’s televised election debate.

A purple cabinet – so called because of the mix of party colours – ran the Netherlands from 1994 to 2002 and is seen by many as a popular option this time round.
But Rutte told the debate the difference in policies between the VVD and Labour is ‘extremely large’.
Divisions
And he refused to go into details about his preferred cabinet after the June 9 election, saying first it is up to voters to have their say.
During the debate, Labour leader Job Cohn warned against the polarising effect that a Liberal Christian Democrat dominated cabinet would have on Dutch society.
Rutte was largely regarded as having won the debate, which took place between himself, Cohen, current prime minister Jan Pieter Balkenende and PVV leader Geert Wilders. Cohen was second in a post-debate poll and Balkenende and Wilders tied in third place.
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