Liberals, Christian Dems & D66 willing to reign together; Wilders: Excluding PVV "undemocratic"
After all of the larger parties' leaders gave their coalition wishes through to coalition scout Edith Schippers, it is clear that the CDA, D66 and VVD are all willing to work together. A fourth party will be needed to give the coalition a majority, and the most likely candidates seem to be GroenLinks and ChristenUnie. So far the PVV hasn't been mentioned in any ideal cabinet, except on the PVV's own wish list. Leader Geert Wilders called it "undemocratic and unmarketable" if his party is not part of the coalition negotiations, the Volkskrant reports.
All party leaders spoke to the press after their meeting with Schippers, whose job as scout is to listen to what the party leaders want and then to set up a report with the most promising coalition formations.
VVD leader Mark Rutte was first to meet with Schippers this morning. Rutte said that he'd want to rule with the CDA and D66. He also said that he'd prefer to have a majority in both the lower house of parliament and senate, which means that a fourth party will have to join the coalition. He named GroenLinks, ChristenUnie, SP and PvdA as possibilities for the fourth party. The VVD's priorities in the next government are the transition to sustainable energy, tax cuts and tax reform, job opportunities, elderly care and police and justice. Ruling with the PVV is not an option, according to Rutte.
The CDA is also willing to work with the VVD and D66, and thinks GroenLinks and ChristenUnie should be considered as possible fourths. Party leader Sybrand Buma said that he advised Schippers to "determine with which parties programmatic negotiations can be launched". He also said that he has no preference between ChristenUnie and GroenLinks for the fourth party.
Alexander Pechtold of the D66 agrees with the D66, VVD, CDA team up and thinks that GroenLinks should definitely be the fourth. He wants to form a coalition with "the largest party and the winners of the elections" - hence those four parties. According to Pechtold, this forms a government "from the political center". He acknowledged that the PVV aso won seats, but governing with Wilders is not an option for him. The D66 priorities in the next government is climate policy, integration, a humane asylum policy, labor market reform, more money for education and a stronger Europe.
GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver wants a "Christian progressive" coalition with the CDA, D66, PvdA, SP and ChristenUnie. Together these six parties represent 80 seats in pariament. GroenLinks' priorities are the climate policy, the social policy and humane asylum shelter.
The fact that no one so far mentioned the PVV in their ideal coalition, and the D66 and VVD explicitly ruled the party out, did not stop leader Geert Wilders from making his wishes known. He wants to rule with the VVD, CDA, 50Plus, SGP and FvD. Together this combination has a majority in parliament an the senate, according to the Volkskrant. According to Wilders, in terms of content these parties agree on the issues of immigration, healthcare, pension and Europe. "I see enough connections to talk to these parties about a coalition", Wilders said.
He also said that if the PVV is not part of the coalition negotiations, that would be "undemocratic and unmarketable", NOS reports. "You can not ignore 1.3 million voters in advance", he said.
Last year Wilders said that he would not rule wit the VVD if Rutte is still leader of the party. Given his coalition preference, it seems he is willing to consider it after all.
Schippers is also meeting with the leaders of the SP, PvdA, ChristenUnie, PvdD, 50Plus, SGP, DENK and FvD this afternoon. The last meeting is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. She hopes to have a report on the coalition possibilities ready by Wednesday so that the new parliament can debate it on Thursday.
