Ny regering i Nederländerna efter rekordlånga förhandlingar
Centerpartiets nederländska systerpartier VVD och D66 står tillsammans för hela 15 av 24 ministerposter i den nya regeringen, där de sitter i koalition med de två kristdemokratiska partierna CDA och CU. Här kan du läsa en intervju med D66 och VVD om regeringsförhandlingarna och den nya regeringens prioriteringar framåt.
The legislative elections took place in March, but the government coalition was only agreed in October, after 208 days. This is the longest time it has ever taken for a Dutch government to be formed – why has it taken so long?
VVD: In 2012 the VVD formed a coalition with the PvdA, only one other party. At that time, we were in the middle of an economic crisis. Rapid action was necessary to get out of the crisis. Furthermore, in the past decade the Dutch elections results have shown an increasingly fragmented political landscape - the 2017 election was no different. It took four different political parties to form a government and that was a complex process. That is why it took such a long time.
D66: The national election was a great result for D66. The biggest progressive party in the Netherlands. But from day 1 it was clear that this result did not make it easy to form a majority coalition (which is the norm in Dutch politics). A truely fragmented political landscape. The resulting coalition was our 5th choice, but it was still our choice. There was twice a negotiation undertaken with the Greens for example which sadly did not result in a coalition, with the Greens preferring opposition. The negotiation time with the final coalition actually did not take extremely long
Which have been your priorities during the negotiations? Did you have any particular “red lines”?
VVD: The VVD had one clear priority: making sure hardworking everyday people experience that the economy is picking up.
D66: D66 is seen as THE party for eduction. So making sure that eduction gets its fair amount of investment and attention was our priority and our red line. For the rest is was a delecate proces with 4 parties all having the need to keep a recognisable profile to the public. For D66 that was, is and will be keeping a progressive liberal profile in a coalition with 2 christian and 1 conservative liberal party.
You now have an agreement – a coalition between yourselves, D66, the CDA, and the CU. What are the strengths of this coalition? How do you complement each other?
VVD: The strength of this agreement is that it is focused on hardworking everyday people. They will now finally experience, especially in their wallet, that the economy has picked up.
D66: It is a coalition of "the middle". The flanks on left and right are in opposition. The strenght of this coalition is that it will deliver results for all income groups while reducing the growing gap between rich and poor, young and old, high and low educated. It is a coalition with only 1 seat majority in parliament (76 out of 150) though. For this reason the political leaders of D66, CDA and CU stay in parliament. And there the coalition has to work together to really deliver as the populist on left and right will try hard to tackle this government.
Which are the priorities of the new coalition government, going forward?
VVD: A coalition with four very different parties is not an easy solution. However after the elections it was the only solution. We have come to an agreement, salaries will rise. There will come more money available for care for our elderly. We are investing in the education of our children. More money will be invested in our highways. We will make sure also our future generations will have a good pension. We will do everything to avoid a new refugee crisis. And at last strive towards a sustainable society. But above all: ordinary folks will experience in everyday life that things are getting better.
D66: Really delivering the policy as written in the coalition agreement. That is for example actually achieving the Paris climate agreement goals and undertake the biggest investment in education in many years.