No breakthrough in coalition agreement; VVD, CDA and D66 will meet again in a week

The leaders of the VVD, CDA and D66 did not come to a coalition agreement during their weekend in Hilversum, informateur Johan Remkes said Sunday afternoon. The resignation of Minister of Foreign Affair Sigrid Kaag and Minister of Defense Ank Bijleveld in the past week “complicated” the talks, according to Remkes.

VVD leader Mark Rutte said on Sunday that the “form and conditions” of the cooperation need to be discussed further. He did not state which conditions these were.

D66 leader Sigrid Kaag spoke of an “intense week”. The political considerations next week will be an important moment to set up cooperation with the political center. The question of “whether and how” a minority government will be possible, D66 and the other parties were unable to answer this weekend, Kaag said.

The Cabinet formation discussion between the three parties will continue either next Sunday or next Monday after Prinjesdag on Tuesday and the general political considerations on Wednesday and Thursday.

PvdA faction leader Lilianne Ploumen said this is “idiotic”. “Half a year has passed since elections. They sat together for two days and there was not one second of real debate. And now we have to wait another week,” Ploumen said.

GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver said it was “incomprehensible” that the party leaders were not able to achieve a breakthrough this weekend.

Klaver and Ploumen were previously considered for a majority coalition, but that plan failed. The VVD and CDA did not want to form a coalition together with both the PvdA and GroenLinks. Afterward, Klaver and Ploumen were incensed that, according to them, the content was not discussed and the only question was who wants to govern with whom.