Geert Wilders’ far-right party has won most seats in the Netherlands’ election, according to near-complete results, but the country’s fragmented political system means months of talking will be needed before the next government is formed.
Wilders’ PVV (Freedom Party) clinched 37 seats in parliament ahead of a left-wing bloc that gained 25 seats and the centre-right VVD which won 24.
Seventy-six is the magic number. That’s how many seats in the 150-seat parliament any coalition needs to govern.
As soon as the final results are in, the calculators will be coming out to see what combination of the many competing parties can get to that number.
The new House of Representatives meets to begin the business of forming a cabinet — “a complex and exciting process”, as the parliament’s own website describes it.
First, political parties appoint a “scout” to kick off initial talks.
Then parliament appoints an “informateur” to scope out the possible contours of a coalition agreement. Before 2012, this person was appointed by the monarch.
When it looks like a group of parties can work together, in comes a “formateur”, who is almost always the person who won the election. That person starts the sensitive work of building a potential cabinet.
If all is agreed, the parties sign a coalition agreement and the new government sets out its plans in parliament, followed by a vote of confidence.
