The agreement in the Netherlands: Forming a right-wing coalition with Geert Wilders

Six months have passed since the parliamentary elections. Wilder's party won 37 seats out of 150. It remains unclear who will become prime minister.

Nearly six months after the general elections that took place in the Netherlands, right-wing populist candidate Geert Wilders and three other right-wing parties agreed to form a new government coalition. Wilders said this on Wednesday in The Hague. Time was running out. The deadline set by Parliament for the talks ends at midnight. In the elections held on November 22, 2023, Wilders and his far-right Freedom Party won 37 of the 150 seats in Parliament.

His future ruling parties are former Prime Minister Mark Rutte's right-wing liberal VVD, the new right-wing conservative National Security Council party, and the right-wing populist farmers' party BBB. The potential partners had previously announced that they would strive for a loose alliance. They want a ministerial team made up half of non-partisan experts. It is unclear who will become prime minister.

Wilders resigns from his position as Prime Minister

In order to pave the way for the formation of a far-right government, Wilders agreed to give up the position of prime minister. The leaders of the parliamentary groups of the other three parties also remain in parliament.

Former Prime Minister Mark Rutte has been prime minister for more than 13 years. In the summer of 2023, his center-right coalition collapsed over disagreement over asylum policy. Rutte then announced his retirement from politics, and is now the most promising candidate for the position of Secretary General of NATO. (Abba)