Negotiators optimistic in Dutch govt formation

Negotiators for the VVD, CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie seem increasingly optimistic that the four parties will be able to form a government together, from the statements they gave before the start of the talks on Friday, NU.nl reports.

The parties already "ticked off" some issues", VVD negotiator Halbe Zijlstra said. They're "booking real progress in many areas", said ChristenUnie leader Gert-Jan Segers. "We really had a good week." D66 leader Alexander Pechtold added that "the past two days at least were meaningful".

The VVD, CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie restarted their negotiations earlier this week after a three week long summer holiday. VVD frontman Mark Rutte is not at the negotiations on Friday because he is visiting Dutch soldiers in Lithuania.