Brussels, 14/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - The liberals, who won the Dutch general elections on Wednesday, want to form a coalition government with Labour (which came second), sweeping aside suggestions on Friday 14 September 2012 that they might form a far less pro-European government by bringing the far left on board.
Outgoing prime minister Mark Rutte, head of the liberals, said after a meeting with a mediator testing the water among the political parties after the election that it would be impossible for the VVD (liberal party) to join a cabinet in which there were both the Socialist Party and the Labour Party PvdA).
Traditionally pro-European despite reservations about transferring power to Brussels, Rutte said on Friday that he wanted to first explore the possibility of an alliance with the pro-European Labour Party, which came second in the elections on Wednesday. On state-owned television, Rutte (who is expected to continue as prime minister) said that the first government he was trying to form would include the VVD (his own party) and the PvdA (Labour Party) and possibly other parties. Dutch voters are increasingly hostile to the European Commission and aid for Greece, and Labour and Liberals alike were critical of the EU during the election campaign. (LC/transl.fl)