World News | Preliminary Dutch Government Talks Delayed as Official Seeking Coalitions Says He Needs More Time
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. The official appointed to investigate possible coalitions after the Dutch election won by Geert Wilders ' far-right Party for Freedom said on Friday he needs more time because of reluctance by potential partners to join Wilders in a government.
The Hague (Netherlands), Dec 1 (AP) The official appointed to investigate possible coalitions after the Dutch election won by Geert Wilders ' far-right Party for Freedom said on Friday he needs more time because of reluctance by potential partners to join Wilders in a government.
Ronald Plasterk, a former government minister from the centre-left Labour Party, had been expected to present his report on possible formations early next week ahead of a December 7 debate in the lower house of parliament.
But in a letter to the lower house president, Vera Bergkamp, he said he hopes to report back to her early in the following week.
The delay comes after two key parties backed away from joining a coalition with Wilders. The new leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) of outgoing prime minister Mark Rutte has said she will not join a coalition led by Wilders, but would offer it support in parliament.
Pieter Omtzigt, the leader of another potential coalition partner, New Social Contract, told Plasterk he was not yet ready to discuss forming a coalition with Wilders.
Omtzigt has previously criticized Wilders' repeated anti-Islam statements as unconstitutional. Wilders responded even before the election by saying that his long-held plan to “de-Islamize” the Netherlands are not currently a priority. He has urged Omtzigt, VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius and the agrarian Farmer Citizen Movement to join him in coalition talks.
According to official results confirmed Friday, Wilders' Party for Freedom won 37 seats in the 150-seat lower house in the election for a clear-cut victory. An alliance of the centre-left Labour Party and Green Left finished second with 25 seats followed by the VVD with 24 and New Social Contract with 20. The Farmer Citizen Movement won seven seats. (AP)
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)