Edith Schippers

VVD leader Mark Rutte is carefully considering the next steps in the Dutch cabinet formation now that negotiations between his party, the CDA, D66 and GroenLinks collapsed. He is clear on one thing however - the VVD still won't rule with anti-Islam nationalist Geert Wilders and his PVV, he said to RTL Nieuws.

After 61 days of negotiations, talks to form a new Dutch ruling cabinet fell apart on Monday, according to a press release from Edith Schippers. "It has not worked out; the talks have ended," Schippers said at the beginning of a press conference announcing the news.

Nearly nine weeks after the election, the parties differences were simply too great, she added. Attempts at forming a policy to handle migrants to the Netherlands proved to be the last straw. The parties were also far apart on issues related to climate change, energy sustainability and income she said.

Opposition parties PVV and SP want clarity from Edith Schippers on the status of the government formation. Schippers is leading negotiations between the VVD, CDA, D66 and GroenLinks on the four parties forming a government together.

Minister Edith Schippers of Public Health wants to give the police and judiciary access to DNA material stored by hospitals for medical purposes, according to a proposal she posted online "for consultation". She wants the police to be able to use this DNA material to help solve serious crimes, the Volkskrant reports.

D66 leader Alexander Pechtold hopes that by the end of today's government formation negotiations - the last session before the May recess - there will be more clarity on the status of forming a government between the VVD, CDA, D66 and GroenLinks, he said before entering the talks on Thursday, NU.nl reports.

"We should get an idea today about where we stand", Pechtold said. "This past week was important and useful. Sometimes very tough, but still with good steps."

There will be no government formation talks between the VVD, CDA, D66 and GroenLinks on Thursday because GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver's mother was admitted to hospital. Her condition is worrying, Klaver told negotiation leader Edith Schippers on Wednesday. The other parties therefore decided to temporarily suspend the negotiations, NU.nl reports.

Negotiators for the VVD, CDA, D66 and GroenLinks talked about security, the judiciary and income disparities on Tuesday during the negotiations on forming a new Dutch government. On Wednesday they will continue to discuss security. Experts in the field of security and defense were invited to the morning negotiation session, Het Parool reports. 

"We talked about security. That is an important issue. We need to develop new ideas", D66 leader Alexander Pechtold said after Tuesday's negotiations. VVD negotiator Halbe Zijlstra added that income disparities were also on the table.

The safety of Dutch prisons can no longer be guaranteed due to staff shortages, according to a letter by the Dutch service for custodial institutions DJI. The workload is too high, and that poses risks for both inmates and staff, according to the letter. Without intervention, there will be more violent incidents and more suicides, the DJI warns, ANP reports

The DJI's central works council addressed the letter to Edith Schippers, who is leading the negotiations on the formation of the new Dutch government, the leaders of the Dutch political parties and the director of the DJI. 

Edith Schippers, who is leading the coalition negotiations for the new Dutch government, hopes that the new government will be in place by summer, she said on Wednesday following the first formal coalition negotiations between the VVD, CDA, D66 and GroenLinks. If this succeeds, it means that the new government can prepare the budget for 2018, ANP reports.

Edith Schippers will present her report on the exploratory talks with the VVD, CDA, D66 and GroenLinks on forming a cabinet to the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, on Monday. Temporary Kamer president Khadija Arib will receive the report at 10:00 a.m., AD reports.

Today the process of forming a new government for the Netherlands continues with a meeting between coalition scout Edith Schippers and the leaders of the VVD, D66, CDA and GroenLinks. During this meeting Schippers will explore whether a coalition between the four parties is viable. Negotiations are expected to be tough, especially between the VVD and GroenLinks.