The three parties involved in forming a new minority government in the Netherlands have pencilled in February 23 for the formal presentation of the cabinet to the king, sources have told broadcaster NOS.

The date fits with the king’s diary and would allow parliament to debate the coalition agreement later in the week, NOS said.

The three parties – D66, VVD and CDA – are still negotiating their financial strategy and where the billions of euros needed for new policy should come from. The talks are set to continue on Friday and then Saturday under the guidance of chief negotiator Rianne Letschert.

This week, opposition party leaders have been meeting Letschert in an attempt to flesh out how the minority cabinet will work with others to win majorities in both houses of parliament.

Some parties have made it clear they will “wait and see” what the coalition agreement entails, while others are prepared to think with the three cabinet parties and set out the limits to their support, she told reporters on Thursday.

The talks have been “very constructive” and no one has said “no” on principle, she said – although Geert Wilders, leader of the far-right PVV, turned down the invitation.

Yesilgöz in cabinet?

The AD reported on Friday that some parties are hoping VVD leader Dilan Yesilgöz will take up a cabinet position and leave parliament as an MP. She has been adamant in her refusal to work with the GroenLinks-PvdA alliance, which won 20 seats in October and is the fourth-biggest parliamentary grouping.

They hope that if Yesilgöz joins the cabinet, the way will be clear for a new leader of the VVD parliamentary party to work together more constructively with the left-wing alliance in particular.

One GroenLinks-PvdA source told the paper that Yesilgöz, who repeatedly called the alliance “radical left”, had damaged trust between the parties. A D66 source said the VVD needed a leader who could work with both the right and the left.

“She showed she could do it as a minister when she led the justice ministry,” the source said. “But if she remains parliamentary party leader, it will be difficult to work with the left. So let’s give her a nice cabinet job.”

Letschert has set a deadline of January 30 for the presentation of a draft coalition agreement. After that, work will start on approaching and screening potential ministers. Rob Jetten, leader of the biggest party, D66, will lead that process as prime minister-in-waiting.