2003 Dutch Cabinet Formation - Second Information Round

Second Information Round

On April 15 the queen appointed the political adviser Jan Hoekstra (CDA) and minister of state Frits Korthals Altes (VVD) as new advisors with the task of investigating the possibilities of a majority cabinet existing of CDA and VVD and one or more other parties.

In the second information round the advisors examined three possible cabinets that included CDA and VVD:

• CDA, VVD and LPF, a continuation of the first Balkenende cabinet, which had fallen just months before;
• CDA, VVD, ChristenUnie and SGP, the so-called Staphorster variation, named after the SGP stronghold Staphorst;
• CDA, VVD and D66.

Given the demise of the First Balkenende cabinet, the LPF was not a viable candidate but both other options seemed feasible. On April 29 CDA and VVD opted for a coalition with the left-wing liberals of D66. The small Christian parties ChristianUnion and SGP were side-tracked particularly due to the ideological distance between the liberal VVD and the Orthodox Reformed SGP.

After the advisers had submitted their report, Queen Beatrix requested on May first that they should continue their research and focus themselves at filling in all practicalities and deepening of discussion and aim for a rapid program for a cabinet of CDA, VVD and d66.

From then on the negotiations proceeded successfully. On May 15 the negotiators announced they were close to a common programme of policy. On May 16 the parliamentary parties of CDA, VVD and D66 agreed on this coalition agreement. In addition, D66 put the question of participation in this new cabinet up for approval by their party congress which was held on May 18.