Former Head of Dutch Intelligence AIVD poised to be the PM after six months of negotiation between political parties of governing coalition consists of right wing anti-immigration and anti-Islam PVV, “natural governing party” of Netherlands VVD, New Social Contract, and Farmer Citizen Movement.
“Geert Wilders, a longtime populist leader known for his anti-Muslim stance, shocked the Dutch political system when his party won the biggest share of the votes. But his party still needed to form a coalition to govern, and after negotiations stalled, Mr. Wilders said in March that he would not become prime minister, in an effort to increase the chances of forming a right-wing coalition. The leaders of the other three parties agreed to do the same and excluded themselves from the country’s highest political office.
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In Mr. Schoof, the four parties appear to have found what they hope is a neutral leader to help work out thorny issues such as migration policy and the country’s housing shortage.
Mr. Schoof emphasized on Tuesday that he was asked to be prime minister by all four parties — not just by Mr. Wilders.
Mr. Wilders said on Tuesday that Mr. Schoof was “above the political parties” and “very sympathetic.”
Dick Schoof is poised to be the country’s first new leader in over 13 years. His selection came as a relative surprise, after more than six months of negotiations to form a governing coalition.
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