Talks to form Dutch ruling coalition fail again

The Party for Freedom (PVV) said Friday it has pulled out of negotiations to form a right-wing ruling coalition with the Christian Democratic Alliance (CDA) due to sharp divisions.

"There was no guarantee that there would have been a majority of 76 seats (in the parliament) because of three dissidents in the Christian Democrat faction," PVV leader Geert Wilders said after he walked out of the weeks-long talks.

Efforts to form a government remain bogged down nearly three months after the June 9 parliamentary elections in which the CDA won 21 seats while the PVV got 24.

The liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) secured most seats, but only 31 out of the total 150, far short of the 76 seats needed to form a government.

The VVD also talked with other parties to form a ruling coalition, but to no avail.

Press reports said during the CDA-PVV talks, several CDA members expressed doubts about working with the anti-immigration PVV, even the PVV agreed to take no cabinet seats in return for tougher immigration policies.

Queen Beatrix will soon meet advisors on how to speed up the formation of a new government, and VVD leader Mark Rutte is still looking for new talks, according to the reports.

Source:Xinhua