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Dutch Minority Government Sworn In After Record 110-Day Coalition Talks

A new minority government in the Netherlands has been officially sworn in at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, over 110 days after the general election. The coalition consists of the Democrats 66 (D66), the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). Together, they hold 66 seats in the 150-member House of Representatives, which is 10 seats short of a majority, marking a rare venture into uncharted political territory for the country. The government's initial priorities include drafting a policy program focused on housing construction, energy transition, climate policy, and immigration reform.

Key Points: Dutch Minority Government Sworn In After Lengthy Talks

  • Minority coalition sworn in after 110+ days
  • Focus on housing, climate, and immigration
  • Holds 66 of 150 parliamentary seats
  • Formed by D66, VVD, and CDA parties
  • First cabinet meeting scheduled
2 min read

Dutch minority govt sworn in after lengthy coalition talks

A new Dutch minority cabinet led by PM Rob Jetten is sworn in, focusing on housing, climate, and immigration after 110 days of negotiations.

"The Netherlands does not have a tradition of minority cabinets. In that respect, we are in uncharted territory. - Coalition Agreement"

The Hague, Feb 23

A Dutch minority government was officially sworn in on Monday at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, more than 110 days after the general election held on October 29 last year.

Following the discharge of the previous cabinet, 18 ministers and 10 state secretaries were sworn in.

The new cabinet is a coalition of Democrats 66 (D66), the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), formed on January 30, Xinhua news agency reported. Before the swearing-in, incoming Prime Minister Rob Jetten held an introductory meeting with King Willem-Alexander, marking the transition to the new administration.

The first cabinet meeting is scheduled for Monday afternoon. An initial task of the government will be to draft its policy programme under the coalition agreement.

According to the agreement, the new government will prioritise improving the efficiency of public administration, accelerating housing construction and energy transition, advancing proactive climate policies, promoting high-tech industries to boost economic growth, tightening immigration policies, reforming the social security and healthcare systems and strengthening national security and international cooperation.

A total of 27 parties contested the parliamentary election last October, with 15 winning seats in the House of Representatives. The D66 and the Party for Freedom (PVV) each secured 26 seats, followed by the VVD with 22 and the GreenLeft-Labour alliance (GroenLinks-PvdA) with 20. The CDA and JA21 won 18 and nine seats, respectively.

On January 9, the D66, the VVD and the CDA announced their plan to form a minority cabinet. Forming a government without majority support at the outset is rare in Dutch politics. The three parties together hold 66 seats in the 150-member House of Representatives, 10 short of a majority, and are 16 seats short of a majority in the Senate.

"The Netherlands does not have a tradition of minority cabinets. In that respect, we are in uncharted territory," the three parties said in their coalition agreement. "The success of this cabinet hinges on its willingness to collaborate with the House of Representatives and the Senate, fellow government bodies, and civil society organizations."

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
110 days to form a government! 😲 That's a long time, but at least they are being thorough. Their focus on housing and energy transition is crucial. We have similar challenges in our metros with affordable housing. Best of luck to them.
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Rohit P
Tightening immigration policies seems to be a trend in many Western nations now. As an Indian watching from outside, I hope it's done fairly and doesn't affect genuine students and skilled professionals looking for opportunities.
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Sarah B
"Uncharted territory" indeed. It will be a test of political maturity. They will have to build consensus for every move, which could slow things down. But sometimes, that leads to more thoughtful policies. Let's see.
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Vikram M
Promoting high-tech industries is smart. The Netherlands is already a hub. India is trying to do the same with our semiconductor and electronics manufacturing push. Maybe there's room for collaboration? 🤝
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Karthik V
I have a respectful criticism. The article mentions 27 parties contesting! That's a lot of fragmentation. While democracy is beautiful, too many small parties can make governance very difficult and lead to prolonged negotiations like we saw here.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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