University professors to teach new Cabinet formation leader about other coalition forms

Several professors will spend time on Monday discussing alternative forms that could be used to create the next Cabinet to lead the Netherlands. They will meet with Kim Putters, who was nominated by Parliament to lead a new round of talks with political parties and experts starting this week.

During this four-week “intermediate phase” of the formation process, Putters wants to gain clarity about the different ways in which parties can cooperate to create a coalition.

Claes de Vreese, a professor from Denmark at the University of Amsterdam, will meet with Putters to discuss the system in De Vreese’s home country. The vast majority of Cabinets formed there over the last four decades have held minority support in Parliament. The current prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, is leading her second Cabinet, a left-center minority coalition even though the left-wing parties combined could have taken a majority.

De Vreese has expertise in the impact of artificial intelligence on society, media and democracy. Other academics who have conducted research into “different forms of government and governance” were also invited, Putters said last week. He will also meet with Utrecht University Professors Mirko Noordegraaf, who researches public management, and Mark Bovens, who researches public administration. Leiden University’s professor of Dutch and European Union public policy, Arco Timmermans, will also speak with Putters.

Putters, who is a member of the Dutch Labour party (PvdA), wants to develop a better understanding of the conditions where certain alternative forms of Cabinets can work, and what is needed for their success. A majority Cabinet of right- and far-right parties seems unlikely, as newcomer NSC does not want to participate in a Cabinet with the PVV, the largest party after the November elections.

NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt frequently indicated that he sees potential in a minority Cabinet, or an extra-parliamentary Cabinet, which could theoretically tap experts in their field to lead ministries instead of career politicians. VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz, who had also participated in talks with the PVV and NSC, now also indicated a preference for an extra-parliamentary Cabinet.

There are several forms possible in an extra-parliamentary Cabinet, and it is not yet clear where different parties see eye-to-eye. The fourth party in those earlier talks, the BBB, had strongly preferred to form a majority coalition, like the PVV.

Putters will not speak to party leaders this week, as the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Parliament, is on holiday. He plans to speak to all party leaders during meetings on February 26 and 27.

Denk party leader Stephan van Baarle again declined to participate, but thanked Putters for the invitation. “We will boycott any process in which Wilders is in the lead where his unconstitutional views are in the context of protecting the rule of law,” said Van Baarle on Thursday. Van Baarle also rejected invitations from Putters’ predecessor, Ronald Plasterk.

His party also voted against the appointment of Putters as an informant on Wednesday. GroenLinks-PvdA, PvdD and Volt also voted against the proposal to have Putters speak with all party leaders in the coming weeks. They believe that his time would be better spent speaking with the four parties that have tried in vain to create a right-wing coalition in recent months.