The Socialist Party has been treated ‘scandalously’ in talks to form governments in the 12 Dutch provinces, says leader Jan Marijnissen. The party, which tripled its share of the vote in some areas, is likely to be excluded from all the provincial coalitions.

Speaking on a TV discussion show on Wednesday night, Marijnissen said he believed the Christian Democrats, Labour (PvdA) and free-market Liberals (VVD) had conspired to keep his party out of the provincial formation talks.