THE HAGUE, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Almost three weeks after the general elections and two weeks after the first steps in the formation of a new coalition in the Netherlands, the four parties starting talks are coming a little bit closer to a center-right-wing government.
The far-right populist Party for Freedom (PVV) won the elections on Nov. 22 by a landslide and leader Geert Wilders expressed his wish for a formation of a center-right-wing government with the rightist People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), the new centrist party New Social Contract (NSC) and the farmers' movement BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB).
This coalition would have a large majority of 88 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives, or the lower house of the parliament. Still it will be a major challenge, despite the PVV's major victory in the elections amid a political landscape with a large majority on the right side.
Former PvdA (Labor) politician Ronald Plasterk was appointed as "scout" to talk to all parties and explore the first possibilities. On Monday, Plasterk issued a report, in which he advised the House of Representatives that PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB should try to form a government, just like Wilders wished. According to the scout there is no other logical option.
"I also think it should be done," Plasterk told a press conference in The Hague. "The country must be governed. The four parties must investigate in a short information round whether agreement can be reached on a common baseline."
Plasterk took the last two weeks for his exploratory discussions. The start of those conversations was difficult, as PVV leader Wilders lashed out online at NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt, accusing him of playing "political games" with a set of demands.
Omtzigt made no secret of his constitutional objections to the PVV's ideas. These objections have not yet been resolved, Plasterk concluded. That will, according to Plasterk, be the subject at the start of the forthcoming meetings. Those constitutional objections include freedom of religion and freedom of expression.
Wilders' anti-Islam views, in particular, are a stumbling block for Omtzigt. For example, the PVV's program states that the party is in favor of a ban on the Koran, mosques and Islamic schools. The PVV is also in favor of a referendum on a "Nexit," or the Netherlands' exit from the EU, and ending support for Ukraine.
The GreenLeft-Labor alliance, GroenLinks-PvdA, is concerned about the possible participation of the PVV in a government, just like concerns are present in the Muslim community.
"A cabinet should never contribute to normalizing, legitimizing or facilitating ideas that undermine the rule of law," leader Frans Timmermans told Plasterk.
Timmermans is not impressed by Wilders' attempts in recent weeks to make a "milder" impression. The PVV leader pledged to put his most controversial ideas "in the refrigerator" for the time being.
"I don't know what it is like at your house, but when you put something in the refrigerator, you put it in to keep it well and to be able to take it out later," Timmermans added.
NSC leader Omtzigt also wants to know from Wilders what exactly he meant by putting certain ideas on hold. Wilders must therefore indicate "unequivocally which points from his election manifesto are no longer current," Omtzigt told the scout.
In Plasterk's report, Wilders gave some answers: "When asked, Mr. Wilders states that Muslims living here who adhere to Dutch laws and regulations are full Dutch citizens for him."
So that is the first topic of discussion, that baseline consisting of "guaranteeing the constitution, fundamental rights and the democratic constitutional state."
NSC leader Omtzigt has a key role in this. Will he stay in or step out on this? There are no obvious alternative coalitions without the NSC.
Then, once the four parties reached an agreement on those basics, they should investigate whether there is, according to the report, "a real prospect of reaching an agreement" on a number of substantive issues.
Plasterk mentioned migration, social security, good governance, international policy and business climate, climate, nitrogen, agriculture, horticulture and fishing.
It should be clear by early February at the latest whether the four parties are prepared to start the next real substantive negotiations. At that time the discussion on the form of cooperation can also start.
A center-right-wing coalition in the Netherlands is a step closer, but if an agreement is reached after two months, the question remains what the new cabinet will look like. A classic majority government does not appear to be in place.
After four governments with outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte, his party VVD does not want to participate in such a cabinet with Wilders. As was expressed by new leader Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius, the VVD does want to support and tolerate such a government, but does not want to join.
However, the PVV, BBB and NSC together do not have a majority. Then it would have to become a minority government and NSC may reject such a construction.
In short, a small step has been taken, but the formation of a new center-right-wing government in the Netherlands is still a long way off. ■
