Rutte’s prospects of forming a new Dutch government decline as coalition partner stops

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The Dutch prospect Mark Rutte’s prospects of forming a new government disappeared on Saturday as a possible coalition partner considered vital to gaining a parliamentary majority, ruled out joining a new government under his leadership would join.

The decision derailed further talks on the formation of a new government in a further disorder, and the discussions with weeks, if not months back, and what made the outcome virtually impossible.

Rutte, 54, survived a no-confidence vote on Friday after parliament rejected a motion from his party during the formation talks after last month’s election.

But Gert Jan Segers, leader of ChristenUnie, said in an interview with the newspaper Nederlands Dagblad: ‘We do not want to return to’ business as usual ‘. We can not be part of a fourth Rutte government ”.

Since 2017, Christian Union has been one of the four parties in the government led by Rutte’s conservative VVD party.

Since all parties outside his coalition voted to have him removed immediately, his current partners seemed the only viable option for Rutte to form his fourth consecutive government – until Segers’ move blocked the road on Saturday.

But Rutte said he did not intend to give up his efforts. “I’m still prepared to fight,” he told reporters. “I am convinced that we can always achieve something in this country.”

The VVD has said it does not intend to replace him as party leader.

MOVEMENT OF RETURN

Parliament will next week appoint an independent official to map out ways to get the government-formation process back on track.

But the two parties considered indispensable to the VVD, the Christian Democrats and the pro-EU D66, tabled the motion of censure on Friday, making it clear that it would be very difficult for Rutte to return to the negotiating table. .

Rutte, who has been in office since 2010, was the winner in the national election two weeks ago, but still needs a coalition partner or partners to form a majority government.

“Without the support of the Christian Union, a fourth Rutte cabinet seems unthinkable,” political scientist Tom Louwerse said on Twitter. “The best scenario could be that Rutte is not involved in forming a new government, but that he will remain prime minister until there is a new government.”

It was unclear what a government without Rutte would look like, given the VVD party’s results of the election needed for any stable majority.

The VVD may still choose to nominate a candidate other than Rutte to lead a new government, but if no decision is made, new elections could be called.

Over a decade in power, Rutte followed a variety of political minefields and found the middle ground in a broken parliament. His handling of the coronavirus pandemic is widely regarded as the main reason for his victory in last month’s election.

Yet a poll published after the mistrust debate showed that his support among the general public had dropped to 25%, from 54% a week earlier.