Labour party wants to form left-wing govt. with CDA, GroenLinks and SP

If it is up to PvdA leader Lodewijk Asscher, the Netherlands' new government will be a left-wing one. Asscher's first choice of government would be a coalition between the PvdA CDA, GroenLinks and SP, he said on television program WNL Op Zondag.

After four years of ruling with the VVD, the PvdA is clearly parting from the liberals in their election program. That's because, now that the economy is improving, the VVD wants to take money away from people who are struggling and give it to people who are doing well, the PvdA leader said. Asscher calls this a "bizarre" policy, according to RTL Nieuws. He wants to invest in a basic health insurance package for self-employed and give more money to healthcare and education.

The PvdA leader also called the GroenLinks election program very green, but not very social, thereby agreeing with a previous statement by his party colleague Jeroen Dijsselbloem. On Saturday Dijsselbloem said that the environmental policies GroenLinks wants to implement are "disruptive". Asscher: "We as PvdA want ordinary people to be able to go to work. But that will become impossible with GroenLinks' plans. The common man will deteriorate too much. That is not social", he said referring to GroenLinks' plan for rush hour tax, among other things.

GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver responded by saying that Asscher's criticism belongs to election time and that the PvdA is using GroenLinks as a "scratching post". According to him, his party's environmental plans are necessary and their effects can be prevented. Klaver believes that Asscher's statements will be "forgiven and forgotten" after the elections on March 15th, according to RTL.

On program Buitenhof, Klaver also said that he will do everything he can to keep the VVD out of the new cabinet. For that he wants to collaborate with his "Christian friends" the CDA and ChristenUnie. But his first choice would be a progressive government, and for that the PvdA and SP are the logical partners for GroenLinks, he said. Followed b the D66 and then the CDA and ChristenUnie.