Five cities without government coalitions

After the Dutch municipal elections of March 19, negotiations for the new city government coalitions are ongoing in five local councils. Cities that are still working on an agreement are Amsterdam and Den Haag, and smaller towns Den Helder and Blaricum in Noord Holland, and Zutphen, Gelderland. Constructive discussions are reportedly being held in Amsterdam between the socially liberal, economically conservative D66 party, along with the more conservative VVD and the socialist SP. The three parties started talking directly with each other last week after the green party, GroenLinks, left the negotiations. Discussions are not as smooth in Den Haag. Even though PvdA, VVD, D66 and progressive local party Haagse Stadpartij announced their coalition plans on May 21st, a new council is yet to be confirmed. The other three towns have not reached agreement either as previous discussed negotiations within both Zutphen and Den Helder have come to a dead end. It is however expected that Zutphen will have a new council by the 10th of June. Like Den Helder, negotiations in Blaricum are also in progress.