VVD Leader Excludes Coalition with Wilders, Calls for Adult Leadership

In a decisive move, Dilan Yeşilgöz, the leader of the Netherlands’s largest centre-right party, the VVD, has announced that her party will not join forces with Geert Wilders in a future coalition government. She described Wilders as “an unbelievably untrustworthy partner” and accused him of prioritizing his own interests over the country's welfare. This statement follows a turbulent period during which Wilders, the head of the far-right Freedom Party (PVV), withdrew from the recent coalition over disputes regarding immigration and asylum policies.

Yeşilgöz voiced her frustration on RTL TV, stating that Wilders does not take responsibility for his actions and tends to abandon collaborations when challenges arise. This sentiment indicates a broader sentiment among major political parties, which have now largely ruled out a partnership with Wilders, regardless of the results of the upcoming elections set for October 29. The VVD leader's remarks are a significant setback for Wilders, especially as he has been an influential figure in Dutch politics.

The turmoil within the coalition initiated by the PVV, which had formed a government with other parties last July after their victory in November elections, led to this fallout. Wilders had recently pulled his party's ministers from the coalition after disagreements arose over his immigration reduction proposals, which included controversial measures such as denying asylum seekers entry and shuttering refugee facilities. Polling data now suggests a decline in support for the PVV, which might hinder its prospects in the elections.

Yeşilgöz emphasized that her party, known for leading previous governments, would not even entertain the idea of a confidence-and-supply agreement with Wilders due to his previous behaviour. Reflecting the current political landscape, she stated that the VVD's policies differ greatly from those of the Green-Labour alliance. Analysts are speculating that the election could result in either a centre-right coalition led by the VVD or a centre-left government organized by the Green-Labour alliance.