Talks on forming a new coalition government in the Netherlands continue on Thursday, with the three bigger parties meeting negotiator Sybrand Buma for an update.

Joost Eerdmans from the far right party JA21, which won nine seats in October’s general election, was first up, telling Buma that the document drawn up by D66 leader Rob Jetten and CDA leader Henri Bontenbal was not right-wing enough.

The progressive-liberal D66 and the Christian Democrats have spent the last two weeks brainstorming five key policy areas: housing, migration, the economy, nitrogen reduction and defence.

Later, GroenLinks-PvdA leader Jesse Klaver will meet Buma, followed by Dilan Yesilgöz from the VVD. She has ruled out any coalition with the left-wing alliance and has repeated again this week her preference for a “centre-right” government with JA21.

Geert Wilders, leader of the far right PVV, will also meet Buma, but all but JA21 have ruled out involving his party, the second biggest after the election, in a new administration.

Voters happy

Meanwhile, an opinion poll by RTL Nieuws suggests most people have welcomed much of the plans outlined by Jetten and Bontenbal so far.

Three-quarters of all voters are pleased with their plans for housing, defence and migration; 64% support them on the economy, and 59% on climate change and nitrogen-based pollution.

Some 75% of VVD voters also back the housing plans, which include phasing out mortgage tax relief, something Yesilgöz said during the campaign she could not accept.

There is majority support for the plans across all five areas from VVD and GroenLinks-PvdA voters – seen as the most likely coalition partners – while JA21 voters back the proposals for migration, defence and housing.