The Government led by the far-right Islamophobe Geert Wilders in the Netherlands is faltering before negotiations even begin. The candidate of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), Dilan Yesilgöz, announced by surprise this Friday that her party will not become part of a coalition government due to its poor electoral results: “We have 10 fewer seats; no it is appropriate to appoint ministers now.”
The leader of the Liberals, belonging to the party of the still acting Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, has not refused to sit down to negotiate a center-right Government, but has assured that she does not want her party to be part of it hiding behind the vote of punishment that has received. Yes, she has opened herself up to allowing Parliament to form that Executive, but then remaining in the opposition.
In Wednesday’s elections, Wilders’ far-right (PVV) won 37 seats, the VVD was third with 24, and the Christian Democrats of the New Social Contract (NSC) had 20 seats in the Lower House. Wilders intended to negotiate a coalition government between these three parties and the Peasant Movement (BBB, with seven deputies). By leaving Yesilgöz, an essential step is dropped for the historic leader of the Dutch far-right to be named prime minister.
The truth is that the VVD has lost 10 seats after Rutte has been prime minister for the last 13 years. The rest of the formations of the outgoing Government have also suffered extensive setbacks, with which the Dutch have voted against the outgoing Executive.
As soon as her announcement was made public, harsh criticism has rained down on the liberal candidate from the rest of the formations on the right and the center and also from her own party. Wilders has assured that this decision “is very disappointing” because “the Dutch want a center-right government.” Similarly, the leaders of the NSC or BBB have rejected this position because it “contradicts the result of the polls.”
Some VVD deputies also reject this position, adopted in a “hasty” manner and “without taking into account the rest of the party, since it has not been discussed by the leadership,” they have assured. However, several acting VVD ministers support Yesilgöz’s position.
MINORITY GOVERNMENT
The formula suggested by Yesilgöz, a minority government of Wilders with specific support from Parliament by the liberals, would give more strategic autonomy to the Dutch PP, without being tied to the extreme right seven months before the European elections. This Executive could count on the active support of 64 deputies in a Chamber of 150 and the specific support of the VVD, which has 24.
Still, multi-party talks have not yet begun and Wilders himself has not ruled out changing the liberals’ minds. “I’m optimistic and it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve changed their mind in recent weeks,” he noted ironically.
