Dutch Cabinet talks hit 3 key obstacles, but PVV, NSC, BBB & VVD will keep talking: Report

There are several main issues that will make it difficult for the PVV to lead a coalition government with NSC, VVD, and BBB. The four parties will have to continue to discuss the "rule of law," the form of the coalition Cabinet, and overall political priorities, sources close to the formation process told broadcaster NOS.

The parties will not take part in extensive negotiations about the content of a coalition agreement unless they can find compromise and common ground on these three points, the NOS reported. Resolving these issues could take weeks, if not months, and failure on any one point could likely lead to a breakdown in negotiations.

The four parties have been engaged in talks since PVV leader Geert Wilders' big election win during the November 22 election. The PVV won 37 seats, the VVD took 24 seats, and newcomer Nieuw Sociaal Contract (NSC) won 20 seats. Along with seven seats from the BBB, the four parties would hold a 13-seat majority in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament.

However, VVD leader Dilan Yesilgöz has consistently expressed hesitation about joining a coalition with the other three parties. She said the coalition should only be made up of parties which came out ahead in the election results, and of the four parties, her's was the only party to lose seats. Additionally, NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt has repeatedly said he was concerned about the extreme stances the PVV has held over the years, including being anti-Islam, opposition towards support for Ukraine during its war with Russia, and a push for the Netherlands to exit the European Union.

These positions are not in line with the Dutch constitution, and are not in line with international agreements, according to Omtzigt. The VVD and BBB also have concerns in this regard, NOS reported based on interviews with sources close to Ronald Plasterk, the person currently leading talks between the four parties.

The form of the Cabinet is also up in the air. Wilders wants all four parties to be in the coalition, while Yesilgöz currently only wants to her Tweede Kamer faction to tacitly support a center-right Cabinet. This would mean the three remaining parties, with 64 seats in the 150-seat Tweede Kamer, would be a minority Cabinet.

Potentially in conflict the VVD's perspective, Omtzigt only wants to participate in a Cabinet if it is at arm's length from Parliament. More traditionally, the coalition Cabinet's policies often demand support from party members serving in Parliament.

The last issue is the approach to what the parties separately consider to be key issues, like immigration, asylum policy, support for Ukraine, cost of living, livestock farming, the Dutch pension system, and regional healthcare and hospitals.

Plasterk is expected to update the Tweede Kamer about the situation on Monday.