Dutch parties reach a temporary coalition agreement, and white smoke appears in 3 of the 4 factions

According to Dutch expert Ivan Olivier, the agreement between the four parties – as Wilders also said – is “historic.” “A government that includes Wilders’ far-right party, which is the largest, could also set the tone, something that has never been seen before,” Olivier explains. “In the past, the Netherlands always resorted to its Boulder model: always consulting, looking for reconciliation between left and right, and following a moderate policy. That will end now.”

However, Olivier questions whether the negotiations have actually reached the point that politicians claim. “Why are they talking about a ‘negotiated agreement’ instead of a coalition agreement? There is something strange about this new name, because just as with the coalition agreement, the text must now be sent to the factions.” Wilders indicated that the agreement will not become a coalition agreement until the factions approve it.

Olivier does not know when the Netherlands will have a new government. However, things can now move quickly. He added, “If the factions agree to the agreement, it can go to Parliament for discussion next week. If it receives the green light, the prime minister can then search for his ministers.”

Although that won’t be easy either. “It was already decided a few months ago that it will be an ‘extra-parliamentary government’. This means that the ministers do not come from parliament or politics. They have to look for people outside of politics, but everyone is keen to join a government.” A government whose future is highly unpredictable?