Wilders tolerates Dutch government

In the Netherlands, the party of right-wing populist Geert Wilders (PVV) will tolerate a minority government coalition of the centre-right (VVD) and the Christian Democrats (CDA). The daily Trouw criticises the behaviour of Christian Democrats during negotiations to form a government: "After the elections, CDA parliamentary fraction president Maxime Verhagen made it clear that as a matter of principle he did not want to negotiate with VVD chief Mark Rutte and with Geert Wilders about a conservative government, saying that the PVV represents views that could not be reconciled with Dutch law. Now, five weeks later, these objections on principle have disappeared. Verhagen is prepared to negotiate over a cabinet whose fate lies in the hands of Wilders. Because that is what would result politically, whether the PVV is in the governing coalition or is merely tolerated. And Wilders has not retreated from his - according to Verhagen - pernicious views."

» full article (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Netherlands

» To the complete press review of Thursday, August 5, 2010