The race of Geert Wilders, a Dutch far-right leader, towards the leadership of the next Government of the Netherlands has suffered an unexpected halt.
The withdrawal of negotiations for the formation of a coalition of the New Social Contract party (NSC, in its Dutch acronym), a center-right party that finished in fourth place in the November 22 elections, has temporarily closed the door to the aspirations of the leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV).
Pieter Omtzigt, head of NSC, cites the poor situation of public finances for the next legislature to take a step back from the dialogue table.
He doesn't want to make false promises to the electorate on economic issues, he has said.
In any case, at this time, the NSC candidate does not rule out supporting “in some way” a possible minority Executive.
The talks were not easy, especially given Omtzigt's reluctance regarding the desire of Wilders - who has withdrawn his proposal to ban the Koran and close mosques - to respect the rule of law and the Constitution.
On Tuesday night, however, the first one left the table claiming that “empty promises cannot be made” to citizens.
He was referring to the state of the accounts revealed by the different ministries, confidential information received by the four formations that intend to close a government pact: to the 37 seats of the PVV, there would be added the 20 of the NSC, the 24 of the Popular Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the seven of the Peasant-Citizen Movement (BBB).
Between the four of them they sought an agreement for a center-right Government with a majority of the PVV, winner of the November elections for a Parliament of 150 deputies.
Wilders has expressed his “astonishment and disappointment” at what happened, because, as he stated, “the country wants this Government and Omtizgt throws in the towel” in the midst of discussions.
“I don't understand it,” said the veteran far-right leader.
This Wednesday night the four groups that hope to form the Executive are convened, but Omtzigt has already said that he will not appear at the meeting.
In any case, it is not closed to a new negotiating round.
He also does not hide his preference for a possible minority Executive, or "another type of coalition", to which he could provide "external support."
In coalition pacts the doors are not usually sealed, much less in the Netherlands.
Although there is no clear roadmap at the moment, a parliamentary debate on the formation of a Government will take place next week and it will be seen which parties wish to continue negotiating.
Frans Timmermans, former vice president of the European Commission, could also step forward.
He leads the coalition between social democrats and environmentalists (GroenLinks-PvdA) that came second in the November elections with 25 seats.
Calling new elections without having at least achieved a new Executive office, even for a short time, would be a novelty.
In a letter sent to his own formation, Omtzigt says that “security [which public powers must ensure] cannot be achieved by building castles in the air.”
The politician, who was a Christian Democrat deputy for 18 years, regretted having received the notes with the ministerial financial budgets this Tuesday night.
It seems to him that the economic horizon they outline “is worse than expected” and they should have known this before.
In any case, Omtzigt has doubted from the beginning the PVV's willingness to accept some laws, in particular the recently approved one that forces Dutch municipalities to distribute asylum seekers equally.
Ronald Plasterk, who is overseeing the current negotiations, says the ministerial letters of disagreement have been distributed on time, and calls the current situation “confusing.”
“I hope to have it clearer this Wednesday,” he said.
Plasterk was Social Democratic Minister of Education and the Interior in different Cabinets between 2007 and 2012. The other three parties have shown their surprise, and also rejection, at Omtzigt's attitude.
For the BBB, Caroline van der Plas emphasizes that “the conversations were constructive and in a good atmosphere;
This is amazing”, she wrote on her X account. Dilan Yesilgöz, head of the VVD, has vowed to sit down again and “see what is happening”.
Timmermans, for his part, believes that “none of the four parties wants to be accused of hindering things, and this is what happens.”
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