The current three-party coalition government is fragile and the two main parties no longer appear to believe in its future, the parliamentary leader of the smallest faction ChristenUnie, said in a New Year address on Tuesday.

Arie Slob, who leads the small orthodox Christian grouping of six MPs, said the Christian Democrats and Labour are creating an image of indecision and difference of opinion within the coalition.
The cabinet has been accused of being slow to react on cutting government spending to pay for the recession and is openly divided over Afghanistan.
Elections

Slob called on the parties to show unity. ‘There must be unconditional commitment to the joint approach,’ the Volkskrant quoted him as saying. ‘But that will not be difficult at election time.’
The Netherlands goes to the polls to elect new local councils in March. A general election will be held next year. Labour’s fortunes in the opinion polls have slumped, while the ChristenUnie has held on to its share of the vote.
The coalition had much to be proud of in its achievements so far, Slob said. ‘There is more appreciation for the value of the family this coalition period. Without the ChristenUnie there would have been no extra cash for low income families with children.’