Four months after a dramatic election that saw the far right lose a third of their seats, a new government has taken office in the Netherlands.
A liberal-centre right coalition has now formed a minority government, freezing out both the far right and the Greens-Labour group on the left.
It’s a risky and unusual strategy for the Netherlands, where broad majority coalitions are the norm.
But new Prime Minister, Rob Jetten, seems to have taken a lesson from the previous fractious four-party, right-far right government, that perhaps smaller is more manageable.
Deft diplomacy
On the flip side, as he is nine seats short of a majority, passing legislation will require deft diplomacy.
The new government has promised to grow defence spending, funded by cuts to healthcare and raising income tax.
Other European countries, notably France, have struggled to get similar budget cocktails through parliament.
But Jetten, aged 38, enters office on the crest of a wave.
Youngest PM
As the country’s youngest ever, and first openly gay, Prime Minister, he has brought a new energy and what he calls a “positivity” into Dutch politics.
Just a few years ago his liberal party, D66, was considered a spent force. Yet voters spotted him amid the noise of the Netherlands’ multi-party election campaign and D66 now has the biggest share of cabinet positions in the new government.
It will have to prove its mettle, not least getting to grips with a housing crisis, immigration pressures and an open economy sweating under the thumb of Trump tariffs.
Wilders down but not out
And the far right, under veteran leader, Geert Wilders, though down, is by no means out. His Party for Freedom secured an equal number of seats to D66 and will continue to be noisy opponents to the liberals.
A new far right party, JA21, also looks to be on the rise. It has been getting increasing airtime and has been flirting with Jetten’s centre right coalition partners.
Towards the other end of the spectrum, Green-Left will not vote with the government automatically. They will also try to block attempts to water down the Netherlands’ environmental legislation.
‘Good vibes not enough’
“Good vibes aren’t enough,” said the Greens’ leader, Jesse Klaver, on the new government.
The coalition agreement contains “grimly right-wing plans that will hit many people hard”, he said.
Writing on social media this morning before his investiture by the King, Jetten said that he was taking up his premiership “with great responsibility and above all a shared promise to commit ourselves to everyone in the Netherlands”.
Migrants seeking asylum in the Netherlands might puzzle at that turn of phrase.
The new government has committed to stringent restrictions on immigration, including a crackdown on family reunification procedures.
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