Alexander Pechtold, leader of the Liberal democratic party D66, says he will stand down if his party does not form part of the next government.

‘Then it would be time for someone else,’ said Pechtold, who has led the party since 2006. D66 was part of a fleeting coalition government in 2005 and Pechtold was a cabinet minister.

The Netherlands will hold a general election in March.

D66 is due to present its election plans later on Friday. The emphasis will be on education and job creation, Pechtold told television talk show Pauw on Thursday evening.

D66 has 12 out of 150 seats in the current parliament but is expected to boost that to at least 14.