Schippers hopes for new govt. formation ideas as talks with party leaders continue

The talks on forming a new Dutch government picked up again on Friday. Mediator Edith Schippers is speaking with all party leaders today, either in a personal meeting or over the telephone. She is hoping they come up with new ideas, or get rid of old objections. "That's not simple, but it is necessary", Schippers said according to NOS.

The only other option is a coalition government that doesn't have a majority in parliament and the senate, and nobody really wants that, Schippers said. That will mean that the new government will have to get help from other parties on each policy proposal.

The first to meet Schippers on Friday was 50Plus leader Henk Krol. According to NOS, he suggested that all party leaders anonymously write a government agreement. Other parties can then sign the agreement they like best, and the agreement with the most signatures wins. Krol said that Schippers reacted positively to the idea, which he agrees is unorthodox. The question is how the VVD, CDA and D66, who currently have the lead in the formation, will respond to it.

The rest of Schippers day is filled up with meetings with Geert Wilders (PVV), Jesse Klaver (GroenLinks), Mark Rutte (VVD), Sybrand Buma (CDA), Lodewijk Asscher (PvdA), Gert-Jan Segers (ChristenUnie) and Alexander Pechtold (D66).