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Right-wing populist Wilders: “The Netherlands wants this government”

Photo: Remko de Waal / ANP / IMAGO

Around ten weeks after the parliamentary elections in the Netherlands, right-wing populist Geert Wilders' coalition talks with three other right-wing parties failed. The center-right NSC (New Social Contract) party decided on Tuesday evening in The Hague that it would not continue the talks. Party leader Pieter Omtzigt announced this in the evening. However, the party does not rule out tolerating a right-wing minority government and helping it gain a majority in parliament.

It is unclear how the formation of a government will proceed. The three remaining right-wing parties do not have a majority in parliament. If the parties do not agree to form a coalition, new elections will most likely be held. The head of the negotiations, Ronald Plasterk, is due to inform parliament next week about the status of the talks. Forming a government in the Netherlands traditionally takes a lot of time. The talks after the last election in 2021 lasted a record 299 days.

“Incredibly disappointing”

Right-wing populist Wilders reacted soberly on the X platform (formerly Twitter): “Incredibly disappointing. The Netherlands wants this government, and now Pieter Omtzigt is throwing in the towel while we were still talking until today. I don't understand that at all." NSC boss Omtzigt cited the strained financial budget situation as the reason for the failure.

In the election on November 22nd, the radical right-wing populist Geert Wilders and his anti-Islam party PVV became the strongest force and won 37 of the 150 seats in parliament. He had previously negotiated the formation of a government with the right-wing liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte as well as with the NSC and the smaller right-wing populist peasant movement BBB.

Wilders had announced during the election campaign that he would stop all immigration, cut Dutch payments to the European Union and prevent new members such as Ukraine from joining. He also rejects Islam across the board and does not want to continue supplying arms to Ukraine.

hen/dpa/Reuters