Dutch right-wing cabinet agreed: “We’ve a deal”, says Wilders
The four parties forming a new right-wing government in the Netherlands have reached a deal on the cabinet make-up, far-right leader Geert Wilders said on social media on Tuesday afternoon.
“We’re out,” Wilders said. “A deal about everything, a new cabinet.”
The agreement covers the “people” as well as the division of responsibilities, the Telegraaf reported, adding that Wilders did not give further details. “The rest you will hear later,” the PVV leader is quoted as saying.
RTL Nieuws reported the PVV would be entitled to five seats in the new government, the VVD and NSC four each and the BBB two. The parties agreed at an earlier stage that half the cabinet would consist of non-political appointees, indicating that there will be 30 ministers and junior ministers altogther.
NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt said he was “optimistic” and that more will be made known about the ministers later. BBB leader Caroline van der Plas said that all four parties are extremely pleased.
Difficulty
Former junior economic affairs minister Mona Keijzer, who was the BBB’s candidate for prime minister, told Trouw she would be joining the cabinet. The names of departments and ministers will be officially unveiled on Friday.
RTL said the PVV’s health spokeswoman Fleur Agema was being lined up as the party’s deputy prime minister, while Sophie Hermans and Eddy van Hijum are have been proposed for the VVD and NSC respectively.
On Monday insiders had said that the talks were proceeding with great difficulty, as the four parties sought to divide up the ministerial positions and find suitable candidates before the self-imposed deadline of June 26.
Former intelligence service chief Dick Schoof is set to be the next prime minister and has been working with the four party leaders to finalise the next administration over the past two weeks.
The right-wing parties PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB are said to want a smaller cabinet than Mark Rutte’s last administration, which had 20 ministers and nine junior ministers.
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In addition, they agreed earlier that half the ministers’ jobs should go to people from outside The Hague political system.
More to follow
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