Yeşilgöz and Timmermans have no interest in a minority cabinet

The leader of the VVD list, Dilan Yeşilgöz, has little interest in leading a minority cabinet if her party becomes the largest party. "That is not my preference," she said on the Op1 television program on Friday.

VVD-lijsttrekker @DilanYesilgoz staat niet te springen om premier te worden van een minderheidskabinet. “Het heeft niet mijn voorkeur”, aldus de lijsttrekker. #Op1 #EO #WNL pic.twitter.com/MLDJPyp3yl

— Café Kockelmann (@CafeKockelmann) November 10, 2023

She pointed out that it is already "hard and difficult" when a government does not have a majority in the Senate. This was also the case with the fallen Cabinet of VVD, D66, CDA, and Christian Union. "That is not necessarily very efficient," she said.

Furthermore, Yeşilgöz stated she did not want to be dogmatic here. But a "solid Cabinet, a majority cabinet that can also provide stability" is her clear preference. Ultimately, she does not rule out a minority government.

GroenLinks-PvdA leader Frans Timmermans also does not believe in a minority government, he said in an interview with Trouw. According to the Social Democrat, a Cabinet needs a stable majority in the Tweede Kamer "if you want to set a firm course that can put the country on a better path over several years".

However, Pieter Omtzigt from Nieuw Sociaal Contract (NSC) has already said several times that he finds the idea of a minority government interesting. In his opinion, it could increase the influence of parliament.

If it were up to Timmermans, a "broad center" coalition would be forged after the elections. "Because I am realistic. The left has never been able to do it alone in the Netherlands. And neither has the right, for that matter. But then the center must also be prepared to work together.”

However, he fears that the GroenLinks-PvdA will end up in opposition if the party does not become the largest. The VVD prefers to move to the right, and he senses the same with the NSC. “Omtzigt is considering a right-wing cabinet with Ja21 and SGP, which confirms my fears in so many words. He's not alone. In the VVD I see a yearning to switch to the right. Dilan Yesilgöz flirts with Geert Wilders, sometimes not, then again yes, he told Trouw. "If they think they can bypass us, they will bypass us again," he concludes.

In the latest Peilingwijzer, a weighted average by I&O Research and Ipsos/EenVandaag, the GroenLinks-PvdA is at 21 to 25 seats. This puts the united left parties just behind the NSC (25 to 31 seats) and the VVD (26 to 30 seats).