Initial Dutch coalition talks to take longer; first debate next week

Photo: Regering.nl

Preliminary talks on identifying a potential coalition to form a new Dutch government will take until next week after all.

Edith Schippers, the senior VVD party member who has been charged with checking out the various party positions, said on Tuesday evening that she needs an extra week to complete her report.

Schippers now hopes to present her findings to parliament next Tuesday, so that parliament can hold an initial debate in a week’s time.

On Wednesday Schippers will first meet PVV leader Geert Wilders for a second chat. Wilders, whose anti-Islam party took 20 seats in the general election, has said he is willing to be part of a new government although the other parties have said they will not work with him.

On Thursday Schippers will meet the chairwoman of the senate Ankie Broekers-Knol. Insiders say it is key that the new coalition will also control a majority of votes in the upper house.

Joint talks

She will then hold joint talks with VVD leader Mark Rutte, CDA leader Sybrand Buma,  D66 chief Alexander Pechtold and Jesse Klaver of GroenLinks.

Rutte, who said on Monday he would prefer a cabinet with the VVD, CDA, D66 and a fourth party, declined to answer questions after Tuesday’s session. Buma said the next cabinet had a few tough issues to deal with, namely immigration and integration, the Labour market and the position of average earners.

Klaver told reporters that it would be very difficult for GroenLinks and the VVD to be in the same coalition. The two parties’ plans are wide apart and ‘I don’t know if those distances can be bridged,’ Klaver said.

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