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Geert Wilders. — © afp
A fascinating political concept is in the pipeline in the Netherlands: an extra-parliamentary cabinet with a limited program in which all party leaders remain on the sidelines.
Bart BrinckmanSenior writer
Yesterday at 8:52 PM
The Netherlands experienced a historic moment on Thursday. All stars are aligned for the first government participation of Geert Wilders’ far-right PVV. The three coalition partners, with the liberal VVD and the Christian Democratic NSC as middle parties, have dropped their resistance. It is likely that some water will flow through the Maas before the cabinet is sworn in. But the most important milestone seems to have been completed.
The three preconditions appeal to the imagination. This means that Wilders will not become prime minister. The other leaders, with Dilan Yesilgöz (VVD) and Pieter Omtzigt (NSC) as the main trendsetters, do not want to say whether that was a sine qua non. Wilders demanded that the three party leaders also remain outside the government.
Belgium has experience with governments where the main authors of the agreement do not enter the cabinet. It generates extra-governmental oracles that generally do not benefit the steadfastness of the government. A stable cabinet needs heavyweights who can close deals among themselves. Now it seems like they don’t want to get their hands dirty.
The intention to write a limited statement becomes a challenge. This is also being advocated in Belgium. It gives the government more space, it diminishes the influence of the parties. Yet usually nothing comes of this. Short statements are consistent with parties that trust each other. There is a threat here of an unprecedented cabinet of bickering because new agreements have to be made all the time.
Finally, it concerns an “extra-parliamentary cabinet”. Opinions differ widely about the scope. The flou artistique doesn’t stop. Ministers may be sought outside the traditional channels, or even outside the majority. It implies that excellence has to be put to work who cannot even count on the necessary support from the participating parties. They become powerless pawns who dance to the orders of the party leaders.
The Dutch formation makes one thing clear: the bar is on the ground for Geert Wilders. So to speak, he now puts the “public interest” first. First his program was destroyed, now also his own ambitions. For the far right, co-governance remains the most important objective. The program doesn’t keep him awake at night. And there is a certainty: if things go wrong, it will definitely be the others’ fault. That’s how we know the people on the far right. Taking responsibility is not for them.
2024-03-14 19:52:38
#Dutch #government #grand #adventure
