Omtzigt and Yeşilgöz remain unclear about potential coalition with Wilders

NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt and VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz did not provide further clarity on Thursday regarding their readiness to govern with Geert Wilders following his party’s victory in the Dutch parliamentary elections. PvdA-GL leader Frans Timmermans said he expects to be in the opposition.

Now that the parliamentary elections are over, the Cabinet formation process for the Netherlands’ next government can begin. And with the massive election win of Geert Wilders and his far-right PVV, the formation process will likely be another long one.

Pieter Omtzigt did not provide clarity on the possibility of joining a government with the PVV before the first faction meeting of the New Social Contract. He said he first wants to discuss with his faction about “how we will approach the formation process.”' Previously, Omtzigt said he was willing “to step over his own shadow,” but “some of you have drawn conclusions too quickly,” he told the press. However, the NSC leader still has not made his position explicitly clear.

Omtzigt did state that he has always considered the oath he will take as a Member of Parliament on the Constitution to be very important. By taking this oath, he also protects fundamental rights, including freedom of religion. The PVV's party program includes proposals to ban the Quran and mosques. Omtzigt added that it “will not be the easiest formation” ever. He emphasized that major parties have a responsibility. “It is also up to responsible politicians to form a government in one way or another. And I stand by that responsibility.”

According to VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz, the initiative to form a cabinet now lies with the “big winners” of the elections, the PVV and NSC. While she previously stated she would not join a cabinet with “Prime Minister Wilders,” she now speaks of a “new reality.” Before the elections, the liberal-conservative leader did not think Geert Wilders' PVV would become the largest party.

Now, however, that is precisely the case, and by a significant margin. When asked whether she would now consider governing with him, she does not yet provide clarity. She wants to let the results sink in. “What exactly happened? What did the voters say? We are mainly busy with our own assessment,” Yeşilgöz said. She maintained her expectation that Wilders should now take the lead. “He has won, he is now in the lead.”

The PVV currently holds 37 seats in the Tweede Kamer. PvdA-GroenLinks has secured 25 seats, the VVD 24, and NSC, led by Pieter Omtzigt has won 20. A coalition of PVV, VVD, and NSC would thus have a majority with 81 seats. Yeşilgöz did not want to speculate on that yet.

The left-wing alliance PvdA-GroenLinks faction gathered together earlier on Thursday. Timmermans said that the campaign for the “united left” has now begun. According to NOS, he stated his expectation to do so from the Tweede Kamer. "I suspect we will end up in opposition,” he said.

According to him, the election results indicate that "many people think that the right holds the solution." It is now up to Wilders to see how a cabinet can be formed. Timmermans expressed his unwillingness to work with Wilders, stating, "He has sidelining an entire religion."