Geert Wilders strikes deal to form hard-right government in Netherlands – six months after major election
Geert Wilders has reached a deal which is set to form the most right-wing government in the Netherlands in decades.
Almost six months after a major election win with his Party for Freedom (PVV), the nationalist has announced plans to bring together outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s centre-right VVD, the new NSC party and farmers’ protest party BBB in a coalition.
Talks have been ongoing for months since Wilders’ election victory on November 22.
Wilders is known for his outspoken views on Islam, immigration and the climate.
“We have an agreement among negotiators,” Wilders said.
He said discussions for a suitable Prime Minister candidate would be “picked up at a later moment” after he forfeited the position in a bid to get the parties to come together.
Pieter Omtzigt, leader of the centrist NSC party said: “We’re going to form a government.
“We’ll wait and see who Wilders proposes as a prime minister candidate.”
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A breakthrough in the discussions was struck in March when Wilders softened his anti-EU and anti-Islam rhetoric, and discarded opposition to all military support for Ukraine.
The deal still needs the endorsement of all four parties.
Louise van Schaik, head of EU & global affairs at the Clingendael think tank in The Hague warned that the issue of prime minister could still be problematic.
“It could be a very unstable construction,” she added.
“If it works out then this can be considered a historic day,” Wilders told the Dutch broadcaster NOS on Wednesday morning ahead of the announcement.
“Being the largest party in a Cabinet, that’s something you can only dream of as a leader of a party and it’s good for our voters.”
The announcement followed 16 hours of talks into the early hours of Wednesday.