Twelve years after the right-wing liberals (VVD) politically isolated the far-right leader Geert Wilders in the Netherlands, he has managed to be a majority in the next Government with his Party for Freedom (PVV). The VVD is also one of the four right-wing formations present in the coalition agreement reached this Wednesday. Wilders won the November 2023 elections and it has taken him almost six months of negotiations to come to power – he has been in Parliament for 26 years – although he will not be prime minister. The leader lacked support to occupy that position and both he and the other three leaders of the coalition parties will remain in Congress. Now they are looking for a figure of consensus to lead the future Executive that will develop the agreement reached, which plans to ask the European Commission not to participate in asylum and migration policy.
The ultra leader supported the agreement this Thursday. “The sun will shine again in the Netherlands. Today we are writing history,” he said, and then emphasized the reasons for his joy. “My party enters the center of power. From being the largest in the opposition we will become the largest in the Government.” Frans Timmermans, leader of the alliance between social democrats and environmentalists, responded that the Netherlands, “in need of reconciliation and building bridges, now puts at the heart of power someone who has been dividing for 20 years.” Former vice president of the European Commission, Timmermans is preparing to lead the opposition in Parliament.
The pact has been closed by Wilders’ group and three other right-wing parties: New Social Contract, People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the Peasant-Citizen Movement (BBB). The document is titled Hope, courage and pride and it is a “framework agreement” ready to be worked on and outlined by the new Government in a specific program. There may, therefore, be changes and even some setbacks that rekindle differences. Throughout 26 pages and ten chapters, the opening of a new path to gain the trust of citizens is announced, because “politics and the Government, despite their good intentions, have lost points in recent years by not “always take people’s concerns seriously.” The quartet emphasizes that the Netherlands “is a constructive partner of the European Union”, but also “very critical of further expansion of the EU”.
From now on, State Councilor Richard van Zwol will search together with the four parties for the people considered suitable to make up the Executive. The process is expected to take about five weeks. Next Wednesday, Congress will debate the agreement reached.
The last center-right Dutch government, led by the VVD, fell when it castled in its attempt to reduce family reunification of refugees. Now, the parties to the agreement propose the strictest asylum measures in the country’s recent history. They contemplate “the expulsion of rejected applicants, even by force, to the extent possible”, and the suppression of automatic family reunification. They also intend to repeal the current law of equitable distribution of asylum seekers throughout the country.
In addition, the coalition wants to ask the European Commission for permission not to participate in the European asylum and migration policy and greater border control. In the event of a “crisis”, that is, if the pressure on reception is too high, the pact addresses providing means to temporarily deny new asylum requests. Both here and in the case of climate policy, the fledgling coalition is looking to Brussels for exemptions. However, community standards are mandatory for the 27 partners and the final path of some of the proposals is not clear.
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According to the coalition pact, the Netherlands will continue to support Ukraine “politically, militarily, financially and morally against Russian aggression”, and the NATO norm of contributing 2% of GDP for defense spending must be established by law. While confirming Israel’s “right to existence and security,” the document announces the intention to “evaluate” the transfer of the Netherlands Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Dilan Yesilgöz, head of the VVD, the party of Mark Rutte, outgoing prime minister, participated in the negotiating table. She lifted the blockade against Wilders during the November 2023 election campaign. She declared that she did not want to exclude other parties when forming a government and that favored her rival at the polls. Wilders’ victory generated unrest within the VVD that has not completely dissipated. The party has unanimously approved the pact and Yesilgöz has said that he takes responsibility for “a stable, secure and strong Netherlands.”
The influence of Pieter Omtzigt, former Christian Democratic deputy and founder of New Social Contract, another of the new partners, is noticeable in the section dedicated to “good governance” that proposes long-term reforms. Among them, a new electoral system – not yet detailed – to “strengthen the regional bond between voters and elected officials.” Steps must be taken, on the other hand, to create a Constitutional Court. “Subsistence security” has been another of its priorities, and the promise of a reduction in income tax and the maintenance of almost free daycare appears. Basic health insurance is mandatory in the Netherlands, and the deductible amount of the part of health expenses paid by the user will be reduced by half – to 165 euros. The rise in the healthcare premium will be partly offset by a reduction in income tax.
Omtzigt has had major friction with Wilders and even left the table last February and then returned. He has championed the integrity of the rule of law and regretted “the anti-constitutional plans” of his colleague’s electoral program, especially regarding immigration. As the months have passed, however, the need to give the country a Government has gained ground.
Other points of the agreement provide for reductions in the number of government officials and advisors and a cut of 100 million euros from the budget of public radio and television. In the area of national security, the Netherlands will strengthen the fight against organized crime and money laundering, with “a redoubled effort to confiscate assets” in this area. Penalties for serious crimes, such as terrorism and those of a violent and sexual nature, will be harsher. In Education, schools will give absolute priority to reading, writing and calculation, and teaching methods “must be politically neutral.” Sexual education will also be “explicitly neutral” and adapted to the age of the students.
The hand of Caroline van del Plas and the Peasant-Citizen Movement (BBB) is visible in the Agriculture and Fisheries chapter, which indicates that the Netherlands “should not continue applying a more ambitious policy on nature than the rest of Europe.” It is about “doing everything possible” to adapt European directives to reduce nitrogen pollution, and “recalibrating” the Natura 2000 biodiversity protection zones designed by the European Commission. Nor do they want to forcibly reduce the livestock herd, but rather the sale is voluntary, and it is proposed to build four new nuclear power plants. Greenpeace has said that the agreement “breathes” fear of change.
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