2024-03-17 14:06:24
The leader of the Dutch far-right Freedom Party (FP), Geert Wilders, whose political force won the parliamentary elections in November 2023, will not be able to become the country’s new prime minister. This was reported by NOS TV channel, Day.Az reports with reference to TASS.
The television channel claims that an agreement has been reached between Wilders and the leaders of three other parties, with whom discussions are underway on the creation of a coalition government.
The head of the Freedom Party has not yet made any statements in this regard. However, NOS sources said that the corresponding demand was put forward by the leaders of the other three parties to continue negotiations on the formation of a ruling coalition, Wilders agreed to them. Leaders of other parties will also remain in parliament and will not hold positions in the new cabinet.
Wilders’ party won the elections in November 2023, but to form a government he needs a majority of votes in parliament and, accordingly, the support of several other parties. Negotiations to create such a coalition are currently underway with the mediation role of former senator and chairman of the Council on Social and Economic Affairs Kim Putters. In addition to the PS, the “Civil-Farmer Movement”, “New Social Contract” and the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy take part in them.
The parties were unable to agree on the creation of a traditional majority coalition, in which the leader of the winning party holds the position of prime minister, and his coalition partners hold the position of deputy prime ministers with ministerial portfolios. Therefore, nowadays there is more and more talk about the creation of a so-called extra-parliamentary cabinet for the first time in the country’s history. It is expected that it will include people, including those not associated with politics, but who are well versed in any issue. According to experts, this structure will have less close ties with parliament and will act not in accordance with the coalition agreement – a voluminous document with clear tasks concluded by the parties in the coalition, but according to the government program, which will outline only the basics of the political course. There is no greater clarity yet as to what the extra-parliamentary cabinet will be like. The details will have to be hammered out by the parties in a new round of negotiations after Putters delivers his final report this week and parliament debates it.