GL-PvdA and JA21 criticize Dutch D66-CDA-VVD rare minority cabinet
Leaders of D66, CDA, and VVD announced on Friday they will form a minority cabinet, leaving the government without a parliamentary majority and requiring support from other parties to pass legislation.
After negotiations at the Hilversum estate De Zwaluwenberg, D66 leader Rob Jetten, VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz, and CDA faction leader Henri Bontenbal said their parties—holding a total of 66 seats in the 150-member Tweede Kamer—would proceed without including GL-PvdA or JA21.
GL-PvdA leader Jesse Klaver criticized the decision as short-sighted and said voters who hoped for wider cooperation were being disappointed by the continued stalemate. He described the minority cabinet as a “risky experiment” that would require careful consideration of each policy proposal.
JA21 reacted with disappointment. Party leader Joost Eerdmans told WNL that excluding his party was a “missed opportunity” that ignored the nine seats JA21 won in the election.
PVV leader Geert Wilders, who did not participate in the talks, warned that the minority government could trigger new elections if it struggles to pass legislation. BBB has remained mostly silent, though earlier reports suggested the party is skeptical about a government without a clear parliamentary majority.
Jetten, whose party received the largest share of votes in the October election, had expressed reservations about including JA21. Right after the election, he said he preferred bringing GL-PvdA into the coalition, citing voters’ desire for a centrist government combining elements from both the left and right. Yeşilgöz, however, remained opposed to a coalition with GL-PvdA, a stance she maintained even after GL-PvdA leader Frans Timmermans stepped down.
Bontenbal told RTL that a traditional majority government was no longer feasible. He explained that the VVD was unwilling to work with GL-PvdA, while D66 did not consider JA21 an acceptable partner.
Minority governments are more common in other European countries but are unusual in the Netherlands. Former ministers Roger van Boxtel and Cees Veerman said in December that, despite the challenges, a minority cabinet may be the only realistic option after months of stalled negotiations.
Polls indicate that while the minority cabinet is not broadly popular, a significant number of D66, CDA, and VVD supporters consider it a workable solution. Former VVD strategist Mark Thiessen said the government could succeed if its parties maintain discipline and negotiate each issue carefully.
