Coalition talks begin: JA21 pushes for PVV inclusion, VVD seeks center-right Cabinet

Ahead of his meeting with the scout to guide the coalition formation process Wouter Koolmees (D66), Joost Eerdmans (JA21) said he intends to ask other parties not to automatically rule out the PVV as a coalition partner. JA21 aims to form a “center-right” coalition including parties such as PVV, D66, VVD, CDA, BBB, or SGP.

Koolmees started his assignment on Wednesday morning by meeting with election winner Rob Jetten. Before the meeting, the D66 leader emphasized his preference for a broad majority coalition including VVD, GroenLinks-PvdA, and CDA.

Eerdmans reports encountering “many obstacles” from other party leaders at the beginning of the coalition formation process. He described excluding certain parties as “unwise.” JA21 is among the few parties willing to consider a coalition with Geert Wilders’ party, while CDA, D66, and VVD have consistently said during the campaign that they do not want to govern with the PVV.

Following his meeting with Koolmees, the JA21 leader said that “the prospects did not look good” for a coalition involving Geert Wilders’ party. Parties that rule out the PVV are continuing to do so. Wilders reiterated on Wednesday that his party wants to join the government, following a meeting with Koolmees.

VVD aims to form a coalition with JA21, CDA, and D66, a combination totaling 75 seats. Eerdmans emphasized that this is “not the preferred option”; JA21 wants a majority coalition, meaning at least one more party would need to be included. He declined to name a preferred partner. Following his meeting with the scout, Eerdmans added that a 75-seat coalition is “not entirely out of the question.”

When asked, Eerdmans said he would be willing to talk with GroenLinks-PvdA, but he does not expect to end up in a coalition together. “We can sit at the table, but the likelihood of reaching an agreement is virtually zero.”

VVD is also unwilling to allow a government including GroenLinks-PvdA. On Wednesday, VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius told Koolmees that she favors forming a “center-right” Cabinet, even if it would lack a majority in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament.

Yeşilgöz-Zegerius stated in her letter to Koolmees that she does not think a coalition with GroenLinks-PvdA can “address issues that have long worried many Dutch citizens,” without providing further details. She later explained that she is referring to “investing in the economy, defense, and reducing taxes.” The GroenLinks-PvdA leadership change from Frans Timmermans to Jesse Klaver does not alter her position.

Klaver emphasized on Wednesday, ahead of his meeting with Koolmees, that he “eagerly wants to help the Netherlands move forward,” whether from within a coalition or from the opposition. He added that he has “no prior conditions.” In doing so, the new left-wing leader seems to contrast himself with Yeşilgöz-Zegerius.

“I believe it is crucial that everyone in this country starts behaving reasonably, with politics taking the lead,” Klaver said. He sees the initiative as resting with the election winner, D66.

Jetten said he expects party leaders to meet with Koolmees more often over the next few days “in different combinations.” Following the meeting, Jetten said that Koolmees plans an “intensive process,” with some parties receiving more frequent invitations. On the first day, Koolmees met one-on-one with the leaders of the eight largest parties.

While the D66 leader favors a particular collaboration, he “leaves it to the scout to assess whether it is useful to begin talks with that combination immediately.”

When asked, he said that, as far as he is concerned, a tolerance arrangement is “not an option” in his view. Under such an arrangement, a party does not join the government but agrees to support certain policies.