The Netherlands has new coalition government

[Treize]

The Netherlands has a new cabinet. Negotiators reached agreement this evening on the details on a coalition agreement between the conservative VVD and Christian Democrats (CDA). A second agreement on parliamentary support by the Freedom Party has also been finalised. Today was 111th day of the formation. Earlier this evening, VVD leader Mark Rutte said the new cabinet will be named Rutte-Verhagen.

Negotiators spent hours on the wording of the documents as the tone is particularly important to the Christian Democrats. VVD leader Mark Rutte announced that the three parties had reached agreement. CDA leader Maxime Verhagen declined to quote a motto for the new cabinet. He said he had faith that he could persuade his party to back the deal. Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders called it a historic moment. He said “who would have thought that the Freedom Party would have a huge amount of influence in government a couple of years ago.”

The minority VVD-Christian Democrat government will rely on parliamentary support from the far-right Freedom Party for a majority in the Lower House. On Wednesday, two agreements will be presented to the three parliamentary parties and the parties will report back to coalition broker Ivo Opstelten on Thursday.

The Christian Democrat Party is holding a special congress on Saturday to seek approval from its members for the deal. All eyes will then be on the CDA, as many members of the party have expressed grave concerns about the cooperation with Geert Wilders' anti-Islam Freedom Party. Christian Democrat leader Maxime Verhagen has faced broadsides from a string of party elder statesmen, and two dissident CDA MPs threaten the coalition's flimsy one-seat majority. To complicate matters further, on Saturday Mr Wilders will be giving an anti-Islam speech in Berlin.

Negotiations for a rightwing cabinet headed by VVD leader Mark Rutte have been underway since 5 August, after the failure of talks on a possible 'purple' cabinet, comprising the 'blue' VVD and three 'red' left-of-centre parties.

The talks for a rightwing cabinet were broken off in early September after the Freedom Party pulled out doubting CDA resolve to see the negotiations through. A letter by CDA co-negotiator Ab Klink voicing his reservations had been leaked to the press. After the resignation of Mr Klink, the Freedom Party agreed to come back to the negotiating table.

Earlier in the day, Labour Party leader Job Cohen has called the prospect of a right-wing government with support from the Freedom Party “the worst conceivable outcome of the coalition talks”. Socialist Party leader Emile Roemer says he is concerned about the measures in the agreements. Democrat D66 leader Alexander Pechtold called the development “an ill-fated adventure”.

It was in the Freedom Party's interests to conclude the talks this week because as of Monday, Mr Wilders is due to appear in court in Amsterdam for a total of six days (over the course of a fortnight) on charges of inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims.

http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/ne...ion-government

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Jom]

Oh good, more far right parties gaining footholds in government.

[Thorn777]

What a circus. Good night and good luck Holland.

[The Dude]

Moreso than knowing that the Netherlands -can- free itself from the dogma of multicultural tolerance, this government is a victory particularly because it's finally wiping the grins of those smug, self-important left winger's faces. Hearing the whines of the likes of Job Cohen and Alexander Pechtold, but also tv pundits like Prem Radikishun and of course some notorious left wingers on this forum is like music to my ears.

[Thorn777]

Moreso than knowing that the Netherlands -can- free itself from the dogma of multicultural tolerance, this government is a victory particularly because it's finally wiping the grins of those smug, self-important left winger's faces. Hearing the whines of the likes of Job Cohen and Alexander Pechtold, but also tv pundits like Prem Radikishun and of course some notorious left wingers on this forum is like music to my ears.

Hehe so much denial.

Good luck with the rights-infringement of all because of some doing bad, after the VVD and CDA got their dads here in the 60's in the first place, nvm the infinite amount of Polish and what not being their pet-projects. Hope this rights-erosion stops where it is intended.

Oh yeah. I forgot the PVV is just holding the strings, not actually playing along. So whats the VVD and CDA actually doing about Multiculturalism?

Things like limiting the funds for language-courses? Saves a buck too, right?

[Dr. Croccer]

Not good at all. The hypocrites are cutting on essential things necessary for our society, like the actual military, whilst defending their little babies: the JSF and mortgage rent deduction. I hear they're slashing like a quarter of state expenditure for culture. How ironically unexpected of the supposed defenders of Dutch culture. The gedoogsteun of the PVV is expecially worrying. Rutte and Verhagen don't have the balls to stand up to him, especially since the purge of the CDA Old Guard, so Wilders can easily steer them in the directions he wants them to, without any responsibility. Not that he probably has to use any leverage, Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum seem more than eager to cater to his needs, at the cost of cannibalising themselves of their most respected and wise members. They're puppets without strings.

Moreso than knowing that the Netherlands -can- free itself from the dogma of multicultural tolerance, this government is a victory particularly because it's finally wiping the grins of those smug, self-important left winger's faces.

It's more likely that it'll make a mockery of the VVD and CDA and of our country.

[Treize]

Not good at all. The hypocrites are cutting on essential things necessary for our society, like the actual military, whilst defending their little babies: the JSF and mortgage rent deduction (20 billion!). I hear they're slashing like a quarter of state expenditure for culture. How ironically unexpected of the supposed defenders of Dutch culture. The gedoogsteun of the PVV is expecially worrying. Rutte and Verhagen don't have the balls to stand up to him, especially since the purge of the CDA Old Guard, so Wilders can easily steer them in the directions he wants them to, without any responsibility. Not that he probably has to use any leverage, Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum seem more than eager to cater to his needs, at the cost of cannibalising themselves of their most respected and wise members. They're puppets without strings.

It's more likely that it'll make a mockery of the VVD and CDA and of our country.

It will be more of the same I guess. I want to see The Dudes face in a year, he will be soo disappointed.

About culture, I saw on the tele that they are planning to make all cultural institutions self suffiecient in a couple of years and that most of them are like that already. And that it creates more money than that it costs.

[Yosemite]

cutting on essential things necessary for our society, like the actual military, whilst defending their little babies: the JSF and mortgage rent deduction

shh leftie multicultural traitor

[Farnan]

You put the Wood Elf in your government? Wow, the Netherlands is really sad.

[Treize]

You put the Wood Elf in your government? Wow, the Netherlands is really sad.

Read again.

He's going to give support to a minority government, so he's basically the puppetmaster without accountability.
But to be honest he did not add alot of things to the coalition agreement that wouldn't be there if the VVD and the CDA had a majority without his support.

[Dr. Croccer]

You put the Wood Elf in your government? Wow, the Netherlands is really sad.

Even worse. He's outside of the coalition, yet the coalition relies on Wilders' consent. This means that the PVV can dictate the cabinet a lot of terms, direct the cabinet to whatever it wants whilst carrying zero responsibility. If the cabinet s up, the PVV can stand at the sidelines and criticize them as much as any other party.

Is it me, or is there a global trend in politics towards the right wing? During the economic down times it was the left that was popular, and now it's shifted to the right, rather quickly I must say. People only think about the very short term, instead of thinking about the long term, that's why the political landscape has been changing so much...

To be fair, there are monumental differences between the PVV and CDA and VVD. They hardly have the same policies.

[Basil II the B.S]

the coalition relies on Wilders' consent. This means that the PVV can dictate the cabinet a lot of terms, direct the cabinet to whatever it wants whilst carrying zero responsibility. If the cabinet s up, the PVV can stand at the sidelines and criticize them as much as any other party.

This.
Say whatever you want, Wilders position is a masterpiece of political tactics. Mainstream parties should be embarassed. They got outplayed by a supposed newbye at their own game.

[Dr. Croccer]

This.
Say whatever you want, Wilders position is a masterpiece of political tactics. Mainstream parties should be embarassed. They got outplayed by a supposed newbye at their own game.

Not really. It has more to do with the stupidity of Rutte and Verhagen and the informateurs than Wilders' intelligence. Untill a few days ago he was more than willing to drop out of talks altogether when it became apparant that the CDA was deeply divided. He's certainly smart enough to see the obvious advantages in not ruling openly. Doing that would be the death of his party. The PVV is an anti-party, the bulk of it's new constituency vote for it mainly because it's a populist group opposed to the old, traditional government. Without that, it's just another Far Right group with unrealistic policies.

[Razor]

Not really. It has more to do with the stupidity of Rutte and Verhagen and the informateurs than Wilders' intelligence. Untill a few days ago he was more than willing to drop out of talks altogether when it became apparant that the CDA was deeply divided. He's certainly smart enough to see the obvious advantages in not ruling openly. Doing that would be the death of his party. The PVV is an anti-party, the bulk of it's new constituency vote for it mainly because it's a populist group opposed to the old, traditional government. Without that, it's just another Far Right group with unrealistic policies.

Oh please...

[CrayonVonCaesar]

Huzzah!

[Atterdag]

Oh for ****'s sake, Holland. First Sweden and now you.

[Henrik]

Oh for ****'s sake, Holland. First Sweden and now you.

They've a hardline assimilationist stance on the integration of immigrants into Dutch society. There's nothing wrong with them apart I'm not a Wilders fan at all.

[Their Law]

Not good at all.

[NotYetRegistered]

The coalition still has a minority, right?

Besides, I bet that people will also get disappointed in this coalition.

[Treize]

A minority yes, but they have negotiated an agreement with the PVV to support the government in exchange for consessions in the coalition agreement.
This totals 76 out of 150 seats, a very small majority.