Politics Netherlands: First step towards forming coalition
Following the parliamentary elections in the Netherlands, the first step has been taken towards forming a new coalition. The left-liberal D66 party has appointed a sounding board to examine the chances of a coalition. This is the prominent former D66 minister and current head of the railroads, Wouter Koolmees.
04.11.2025, 17:18
SDA
The current chairman of the Second Chamber of Parliament, Martin Bosma, had previously received the leaders of the parliamentary groups. They approved the appointment of the sounding board.
After all the votes had been counted, the left-liberal D66 became the strongest party with 26 of the 150 seats. It is just ahead of the Party for Freedom (PVV) of radical right-wing populist Geert Wilders. At least four parties are needed for a stable majority. The 38-year-old parliamentary group leader of D66, Rob Jetten, is considered the likely prime minister.
Resistance to center-left government
The coalition negotiations are likely to be difficult and take a long time. Election winner D66 wants a center-left coalition with the right-liberal VVD, the Christian Democratic CDA and the red-green GroenLinks-PvdA alliance. "The Netherlands needs a government that is quickly ready for action," said Jetten in The Hague.
However, the VVD does not want to cooperate with the red-green coalition. The right-wing liberals want a center-right coalition with the right-wing populist JA21 as a fourth partner. However, this combination does not have a majority.
