D66, CDA, and VVD are leading the Netherlands without a parliamentary majority.
The Dutch political scene is witnessing a rare change after the D66, CDA, and VVD parties agreed to form a minority government, relying on the support of other parties in parliament to pass legislation and effectively manage state affairs.
The Liberal Democrats D66, the winner of the October elections, will join a coalition with the Christian Democrats (CDA) and the right-wing VVD to form a government with 66 seats in the House of Representatives, which is ten seats short of a majority. In the Senate, they need an additional sixteen seats to reach a majority.
Rob Jetten, the leader of D66 and candidate to become the next prime minister, confirmed the size of the upcoming challenge: "The new government team will have to work hard, but we believe we can do it." Leaders of other parties will be invited to discuss cooperation based on issues in the coming days.
Henry Bontinbal (CDA) described the decision as the "new political reality", emphasizing the possibility of fostering a new political culture despite previous tensions between the parties. VVD initially considered incorporating the far-right party JA21, but D66 opposed the idea for political reasons.
The opposition criticized this step, with JA21 leader Joost Eerdmans describing the decision as a "missed opportunity," while a spokesperson for the left-wing coalition GroenLinks-PvdA warned that it is a "political experiment fraught with risks" that could create "unnecessary uncertainty." Meanwhile, coalition negotiations continue, focusing on the policies and funding needed to operate the minority government.