More political parties shun PVV and FvD ahead of local elections

VVD leader Mark Rutte does not think that local branches of his party will join forces with PVV or FvD to form municipal coalitions, he said on a campaign visit to the Leiden VVD on Saturday. He echoed statements made by other party leaders earlier in the day.

"I don't see our departments managing together with PVV and FvD, certainly not considering what has happened recently," Rutte said. He thinks local chapters will come to the same conclusion following March’s municipal elections. "I don't think it's necessary, but if necessary I'll call on them."

CDA leader Wopke Hoekstra also said he is not in favor of local cooperation with PVV or FvD, adding he was convinced “that everyone will come to the same decision.” The D66 and GroenLinks parties have also expressed that they do not intend to make it easy for the “extreme right” to participate in city council leadership.

"We are not going to govern with extremists and I call on all my national colleagues to provide the same clarity,” said D66 leader Sigrid Kaag.

While Kaag did not specify which parties she meant, her party chose not to cooperate with PVV or FvD prior to last year’s parliamentary elections. GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver explicitly said his party would not govern with PVV or FvD after the municipal elections in March.