Negotiations to form a government coalition in the Netherlands, after the surprise electoral victory of the far right of Geert Wilders, are at an impasse on Monday after the resignation – following accusations of fraud – of the man charged with leading them.
The international community, starting with European leaders, is closely observing the attempts of Mr. Wilders and his Freedom Party (PVV) to succeed in forming a government with partners who are wary of his vehement anti-refugee stances. Islam, immigration and the European Union.
The highest-ranking American diplomat responsible for European affairs stressed in this regard that Washington hoped to maintain warm ties with the Netherlands, “an incredibly close, constructive and solid ally”. “We look forward to continuing this relationship with the new government once it takes office,” James O’Brien told reporters.
Before even starting, the process of forming a government came to an end: Gom van Strien, appointed by the far-right leader to lead the negotiations, had to resign after being accused in the Dutch media this weekend of having committed fraud within his former company.
These circumstances and the time needed to respond to the accusations “are not compatible” with the mission entrusted, declared this senator from Geert Wilders’ party.
“I have therefore informed Geert Wilders and the President of Parliament that I am resigning from my position with immediate effect,” he added.
Gom van Strien was to officially begin his mission on Monday by meeting Geert Wilders, whose party came first in the November 22 elections.
Daily life NRC had written on Sunday that a former employer of Gom van Strien, Utrecht Holdings, had filed a complaint with the police regarding fraud allegedly committed by the senator and other colleagues.
Mr van Strien denounced “unfounded” allegations and said he had “complied with all laws and regulations”.
This controversy constitutes a setback for Mr. Wilders, whose party, to everyone’s surprise, won Wednesday’s vote by obtaining 37 seats out of the 150 in the lower house of Parliament.
The PVV is campaigning for a ban on mosques, the Koran and the wearing of headscarves by Muslim women, as well as for the organization of a referendum on leaving the EU.
“Prime Minister of this beautiful country”
“This is not the start I dreamed of,” admitted the far-right leader who nevertheless appeared optimistic, stressing that he was still seeking the post of “prime minister of this beautiful country.”
He said he was thinking of a new negotiator “with more distance from politics” and added that his appointment could take place as early as Tuesday.
“I do not find it very pleasant not to have been informed” beforehand of the allegations of fraud against Gom van Strien, lamented Mr. Wilders.
Dutch media reported that Ronald Plasterk, a former Labor Party education minister, had been selected for the position.
The speaker of the lower house, Vera Bergkamp, noted that the situation was “boring” and demanded the rapid appointment of a new negotiator.
At the end of the vote, Mr. Wilders said he was in favor of a coalition with the New Social Contract (NSC, 20 seats) of reformer Pieter Omtzigt, the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB, seven seats) and the formation center-right People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD, 24 seats).
The leader of the VVD, Dilan Yesilgöz, has already ruled out sitting in a government led by Mr. Wilders, but has indicated that she would be ready to “support a center-right coalition”.
M’s positionme Yesilgöz, whose party lost 10 seats following the election, is however contested within her party.
Mr. Wilders estimated that negotiations for the formation of a coalition could be concluded in “three weeks” if everyone was ready to make concessions, but the surprise resignation of the coordinator of the negotiations risks calling this timetable into question.
Most analysts believe that a government cannot be formed before next year. It took 271 days to form that of Mark Rutte, the outgoing Prime Minister.