Approximately ten weeks post the parliamentary election in the Netherlands, the coalition negotiations involving right-wing populist Geert Wilders and three other right-wing parties have reportedly failed according to media outlets.
Tuesday evening saw the Center-right party NSC (New Social Contract) in The Hague make a decision to discontinue the talks. This was reported by Dutch media.
The future government formation remains uncertain
However, the NSC hasn’t dismissed the idea of supporting a right-wing minority government and aiding it to secure a parliamentary majority. The future of the government formation remains uncertain. In the November 22nd election, Geert Wilders, the radical right-wing populist, and his anti-Islam party PVV emerged as the strongest faction, securing 37 of the 150 parliament seats. Wilders had previously collaborated with the outgoing Prime Minister’s right-wing liberal People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) led by Mark Rutte, and had commenced negotiations with the NSC and the smaller right-wing populist rural movement BBB concerning the government formation.
Even before the talks kicked off, the NSC faction leader Pieter Omtzigt had voiced constitutional apprehensions regarding the collaboration. Until now, the VVD has only expressed willingness to tolerate a Wilders-led minority government without involving its own ministers.
