Cabinet formation breakthrough: D66 willing to negotiate continuation of current coalition

The D66 is willing to negotiate a restart of the current cabinet with VVD, CDA and ChristenUnie. The D66 faction agreed to this on Thursday, according to party leader Sigrid Kaag.

Her party was against a new coalition with the ChristenUnie in recent months. On Sunday, however, Kaag announced at a party meeting that she would lift the blockade against the ChristenUnie.

Kaag pointed out that the only alternative would be to hold new elections. "They'll paralyze politics for at least another six months. Then no big decisions will be made. Our country does not deserve that."

The D66 is therefore prepared to continue the coalition of the past four years, but not the policy, Kaag made clear. That needs to be "more progressive, more generous, more open and more humane". Particularly in the field of climate and investment in education, the party wants to see more of its wishes come true. "We either do it right or we don't do it."

The four parties hold 77 seats out of 150 in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament. They have 32 seats out of the 75 in the Eerste Kamer, the Dutch Senate, and would need support of one or more parties to pass legislation there.

This afternoon, the D66, VVD and CDA are meeting again with informateur Johan Remkes. The VVD and CDA always indicated that they would like to continue with the ChristenUnie.

GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver was disappointed by the D66's decision. "This cabinet did not solve the housing crisis, the climate crisis or inequality. Why would it be different with a continuation of this coalition? What the Netherlands needs is change. This is just more of the same," he responded on Twitter.