Four parties can take next step in forming next Dutch Cabinet, discussion leader says

The discussions between the party leaders of the PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB have led to results, said negotiations leader Kim Putters. The next step in the formation of a new Cabinet can now be taken by these four parties, he said after two days of talks on the Zwaluwenberg estate in Hilversum.

"I am now ready to draw conclusions and write my report. I will do that tomorrow," Putters said on Tuesday evening. Putters said the past two days were intensive. "I'll sort everything out tomorrow." He must submit his final report on Thursday to the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Parliament.

The four party leaders sat around the table for the first time in Hilversum. "That had not yet happened in this informative round and it was necessary," Putters said.

After NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt withdrew from talks in early February during the first informative round led by Ronald Plasterk, mutual relations soured between the party leaders. In recent weeks, Putters spoke almost exclusively with the four politicians one-on-one.

When leaving the estate, BBB party leader Caroline van der Plas only wanted to say that she was "positive" and that "good discussions" had been held.

Omtzigt said that "very hard work has been done in recent days" and referred to Putters for more information. PVV leader Geert Wilders and VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz drove away without speaking to the press.

The party leaders spoke with each other on Monday from 3 p.m to 7:30 p.m., led by Putters. The talks resumed at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday and concluded just before 8 p.m.

It is not yet known when the Tweede Kamer will debate Putters' final report. That will probably be sometime next week.

In his final report, Putters must indicate which form of Cabinet has the most support between the parties. This includes the possibility of an extra-parliamentary Cabinet and a minority Cabinet with support from one or more parties in Parliament.

Omtzigt previously indicated that these are the only two options for a new Cabinet, as far as he is concerned. Yeşilgöz has abandoned her party's initial position of wanting to tolerate a minority Cabinet with the PVV and BBB alone. She is now open to an extra-parliamentary Cabinet in which the VVD also wants to determine several ministerial positions.