Labour leader Job Cohen, whose party took 30 seats in the June general election compared with the VVD Liberals 31, says he is now willing to join a cabinet.

‘[VVD leader Mark] Rutte has suggested he draw up a concept coalition agreement. I think we should do it together… I am available for a cabinet,’ Cohen said in an interview in the Volkskrant.
Cohen said he is unwilling to say which coalition he now favours in order not to prejudice future negotiations. Both he and Rutte will have to soften their stance, he said.
Too long
‘The land has to be governed. It is all taking too long,’ he said. ‘Everyone must realise that.’
Cohen was involved in earlier talks to form a cabinet involving the VVD, the D66 Liberal party and left-wing greens GroenLinks but those negotiations failed because the parties could not agree on government spending cuts.
A combination of Labour, the VVD and Christian Democrats – seen as many as the most likely option – would have 82 of the 150 seats in parliament.