D66 leader Rob Jetten is set to take the first step in the lengthy process of forming a government on Tuesday, November 4th, by appointing a negotiator to mediate between rival political parties.
The 38-year-old politician scored a shock election win last week, narrowly beating right-wing PVV party leader Geert Wilders into second place.
The razor-thin victory of just under 30,000 votes put Jetten on track to become the youngest and first openly gay prime minister of the Netherlands.
He must first form a coalition in a country whose fragmented political system ensures that no single party wins enough parliamentary seats to govern alone. To secure a majority in the 150-member parliament, a workable coalition requires 76 seats. This is possible with a four-party coalition bringing together Jetten’s liberal D66 (26 seats), the left-wing Green/Labour alliance (20), the centrist CDA (18), and the right-wing VVD (22).
In the Netherlands, the winning party leader appoints a “scout” to sound out the various parties and determine who is prepared to negotiate with whom. Jetten is expected to make this appointment later on Tuesday, November 4th.
