New Dutch gov't to rely on far-right, pro-Russia FvD for Senate majority

Thierry Baudet’s far-right, pro-Russian FvD may soon play a significant role in getting the new Dutch government’s plans passed through the Senate. The PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB coalition are eight seats short of a majority in the Eerste Kamer and will need the support of the right-wing parties there to get their plans passed. The coalition factions in the Senate are not against working with Baudet’s FvD, Nieuwsuur reported.

The new coalition holds 30 of the 75 seats in the Eerste Kamer, the Dutch Senate - the BBB has 16, the VVD has 10, and the PVV has four. The NSC isn’t in the Senate yet. November’s parliamentary election was the first in which Pieter Omtzigt’s party participated.

That leaves the new Cabinet eight seats short of a majority. Early in the formation negotiations, the right-wing parties JA21 (3 seats), SGP (2 seats), and FvD (2 seats) said they were willing to provide seven of those seats. 50Plus was excited to provide the swing vote. And that is still the case, Nieuwsuur found.

The VVD and BBB factions in the Senate also have no qualms about working with the FvD, despite its often extreme stances. “I have a very pleasant collaboration with them,” VVD faction leader Edith Schippers told Nieuwsuur. BBB leader Ilona Lagas said that all Senators “treat each other with respect.”

Johan Dessing, the FvD leader in the Eerste Kamer, said the faction “will look at this government constructively,” according to the current affairs program. “I think it is very important that we here in the Senate look together at how we can make this country better.”

During a parliamentary debate on the threat of Russian sabotage of Dutch infrastructure in the North Sea on Thursday, various parliamentarians raised concerns about the new government’s reliance on the FvD. D66 parliamentarian Jan Paternotte asked the NSC whether, after it stressed the importance of fighting disinformation and undermining, would still be part of a coalition that works with the FvD. The far-right party has been known to promote conspiracy theories and broadcast Russian propaganda, Paternotte said.

NSC parliamentarian Jesse Six Dijkgstra dodged the question by saying that the NSC isn’t yet in the Senate and would leave getting bills passed to the coalition’s Senators, according to NOS.