More parties are expected to be invited to join the talks to form the next Dutch government later this week as D66 and CDA wrap up the first stage of negotiations.

The progressive-liberal D66 and centre-right CDA have spent the last two weeks drawing up the framework of a coalition agreement, but need to bring more parties on board because they only have 44 seats between them, well short of a majority.

D66 leader Rob Jetten said he would spend Monday finalising the document with his CDA counterpart, Henri Bontenbal. “Once that’s done we can’t wait to start talks with other parties,” he said.

Bontenbal said “the number of passages marked in yellow is getting smaller,” referring to policy areas where the two parties still have to settle their differences.

Sybrand Buma, the former CDA leader and mayor of Leeuwarden who is chairing the negotiations, has been set a deadline of December 9 to report back to parliament, but he is expected to gauge the reaction of other potential coalition partners as part of the process.

Last Friday Buma indicated that the option of a coalition with the left-wing alliance GroenLinks-PvdA and the right-wing liberal VVD had “fallen through” because VVD leader Dilan Yesilgöz is strongly opposed to joining what she calls a “left-wing cabinet”.

50Plus hold key

However, later on Friday Buma said he was referring to the conclusions of Wouter Koolmees, who canvassed the opinions of all parties during the “scouting” phase that acts as a prelude to the coalition talks.

Buma said he planned to speak to both Yesilgöz and GL-PvdA leader Jesse Klaver before December 9. “I hope I will then have an idea of which parties could potentially join in,” he said.

Another option is a coalition with the VVD and the hard-right JA21, but this combination would only have 75 seats, one short of an outright majority, especially now that VVD MP Thom van Campen has taken the role of parliamentary chairman.

The problem could be solved by adding the pensioners’ party 50Plus, which has two seats, either as an outright coalition member or with a confidence and supply deal. Buma, Jetten and Bontenbal have all been in touch with party leader Jan Struijs in the last week, NRC reported on Monday.

Klaver is also know to be keen on joining the talks, but without the VVD on board as well, he would struggle to find partners for a majority.

He scored a tactical victory last week when D66 and CDA both said they would vote for a motion by GL-PvdA to spend another €2 billion on support for Ukraine, while the VVD has yet to decide.

The vote is due to take place on Tuesday, but in last week’s debate prime minister Dick Schoof said the outgoing cabinet of VVD and the farmers’ party BBB took the view that the decision should be taken by the next government.

VVD asylum plans

At the same time, both D66 and CDA are threatening to dash VVD asylum minister David van Weel’s hopes of passing strict new asylum laws before Christmas.

D66 have opposed the laws from the start, while CDA are critical of an amendment that would make it a crime to offer help to illegal immigrants because it would potentially outlaw acts of charity.

Klaver has approached JA21 leader Joost Eerdmans in an attempt to discuss the possibility of including both parties in a cabinet, but Eerdmans has so far ruled out the option, saying he will only join a government with the VVD.

A cabinet with GL-PvdA and JA21 would need another three seats for a majority. The ChristenUnie could make up the numbers, but leader Mirjam Bikker has shown little appetite for joining the coalition so far.