Coalition negotiator to outline next steps after talks with queen

Cabinet negotiator Uri Rosenthal is due to give a news conference later on Friday after briefing queen Beatrix on his two weeks of talks with party leaders..


Rosenthal was appointed by the queen two weeks ago, to begin the formation process. The monarch reportedly urged him not to take too long given ‘the difficult situation the country is in’.
Rosenthal has looked at four possible coalitions, none of which have progressed past the initial ‘get to know you’ phase.
Four coalitions
A right-wing coalition between the VVD Liberals, anti-Islam PVV and CDA floundered because the CDA insisted the other two parties first agree on controversial issues such as ethnic registration.
The favourite option of Labour leader Job Cohen – the ‘purple plus’ combination of Labour, the VVD, Liberal Democrats D66 and left wing greens GroenLinks – was rejected by VVD leader Mark Rutte because of differences in economic policy.
Cohen refused to join talks on a left-centre-right coalition between the VVD, Labour and CDA because it would include two parties which lost in the general election – Labour and the CDA.
And D66 and GroenLinks rejected calls to talk about the formation of a broad cross-party coalition of ‘purple plus’ with the CDA.
Second negotiator

It is unclear what will happen next. Rosenthal, a VVD member, could stay on as negotiator and try a new round of talks. Or he could be joined by a second negotiator from the Labour party. Labour has one seat less than the VVD in the new-look parliament.
In his report to the queen, Rosenthal could also recommend that one of the coalitions already looked at should be pursued because it is the most likely to succeed. Political commentators say this is likely to be the cross-party option.
The queen is also likely to consult her advisors and some party leaders before deciding what the next stage in the coalition formation process should be.
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