By Priscilla Slomp and Edo van der Goot
07 March 2024 at 18:26
Even after this formation phase, the PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB want to continue discussing a new cabinet. They have not yet agreed on the exact form, but it does not seem to be an insurmountable obstacle, as can be heard in front and behind the scenes.
If informant Kim Putters has published his report by next Thursday, negotiations with at least PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB can really begin, says a person directly involved.
The parties are hopeful about the progress and are confident that Putters can complete his assignment. He is investigating the possibilities for “fruitful political cooperation” with a cabinet that can count on “sufficient support” in the House of Representatives. The emphasis in the report will be on form.
Putters has now started writing his final report. “There is still a lot to cover, but we are on our way,” he said Thursday afternoon. Next week the informant will schedule a number of appointments with the party leaders of PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB. The four politicians also have contact with each other outside the informant, it was announced today.
These parties see the fact that PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB will form the basis of that cabinet as the most logical scenario. The only question is what that cabinet will look like. Putters has had many discussions about this with almost all party chairmen in the House and experts.
Due to various blockages and wishes, there are still two flavors left: a cabinet with tolerable support or an extra-parliamentary cabinet. NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt and VVD leader Dilan Yesilgöz both prefer the extra-parliamentary variant. Geert Wilders (PVV) and Caroline van der Plas (BBB) can now also live with that now that a mainstream majority cabinet is definitively out of sight.
There is a financial framework, but no agreement about deductible
The term ‘extra-parliamentary cabinet’ does not yet have a precise definition. The core is distance between the House and the cabinet. Ministers come from within and outside politics. Parties that have not yet spoken to the informant can also provide ministers. The CDA is regularly mentioned in this context, but so far that party has been firmly holding the boat back. This also applies to GL-PvdA and D66.
There will be no comprehensive coalition agreement, although some agreements will have to be put on paper. The parties want a clear financial framework. They also make agreements on major themes, such as migration and support for Ukraine.
But whether, for example, the deductible in healthcare should be abolished – a wish of the PVV – is too detailed. The idea is that cabinet members should look for varying majorities per issue.
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Hope for a good outcome despite damaged trust
A month ago, Omtzigt cut off the discussions under the then informateur Ronald Plasterk, because his faction sees too great a distance between NSC and the PVV in the field of the rule of law.
That step caused a lot of anger in the following weeks. Last week there was still a lot of frustration among the negotiating parties about what exactly Omtzigt wants. The NSC leader himself was very upset about a podcast by The Telegraph in which it is said that during conversations with the informateur and the other party leaders he has fits of crying, raises his voice and walks away from the table.
There was a brief fear that Omtzigt would no longer come to the informant’s table due to the leak of this information. But the NSC leader simply appeared in the formation section in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. He did say that anonymous gossip damages mutual trust.
So both could be true: confidence has taken a hit, but there is a positive outlook.
2024-03-07 17:26:56
#PVV #VVD #NSC #BBB #talk #parties #hopeful #cabinet #form #Formation
