Netherlands likely to get new Cabinet by mid-May, coalition negotiators say

The two people leading negotiations between four political parties to form a coalition government in the Netherlands said they are confident that a Cabinet will be formed before their mid-May deadline. The discussion moderators, Richard van Zwol and Elbert Dijkgraaf, said on Monday that the talks are progressing between the PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB.

"We are taking the road up to the top," Dijkgraaf said after speaking with three of the four parties. "And we are quietly cycling on."

Van Zwol and Dijkgraaf spoke with NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt last week. On Monday, they continued with Dilan Yeşilgöz from the VVD, Caroline van der Plas from BBB, and PVV leader Geert Wilders.

For this round, they were joined by the party leaders' representatives regarding budgeting and State finances. Last week, Van Zwol said he wanted the parties to indicate where their priorities lie with a limited budget, and how they want to pay for their plans. He indicated it would be "a difficult puzzle."

After Omtzigt's meeting, Dijkgraaf said they discussed his opinions about the state of affairs, what he found important, and what the NSC leader absolutely opposed. Similar separate conversations were anticipated with Yeşilgöz, Van der Plas and Wilders on Monday.

Recently, Dijkgraaf and Van Zwol spoke more frequently with the four party leaders. These individual conversations were intended to paint a clearer picture regarding "what everyone finds important and where things clash." Both discussion leaders said last week they felt they could find a path to bridge differences between the four parties.

They will continue to host discussions with one party leader at a time on Tuesday as they continue to put the pieces of the puzzle together.