Geert Wilders left stranded as Dutch coalition talks collapse

Negotiations to form the next Dutch government collapsed Tuesday night after Pieter Omtzigt, who leads the New Social Contract (NSC) party, quit the talks.

Omtzigt said he was leaving the discussions due to disagreements over how to tackle the state of the government’s finances, but his party could support a minority Cabinet while remaining out of government, Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported.

“How disappointing,” far-right leader Geert Wilders said. “Pieter Omtzigt is throwing in the towel while we were still in talks until today. I don’t understand it at all.”

Omtzigt’s support was key to securing backing for a center-right majority government with four parties, including Wilders’ far-right Party for Freedom (PVV).

The party of Wilders, who was previously considered politically toxic in the Netherlands given his hard-line views on immigration and Islam, won the most seats in November’s Dutch election.

Dilan Yeşilgöz, the leader of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s center-right People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), said she was “very surprised” by the news of Omtzigt’s exit.

“We were in the middle of constructive conversations, including today. Hope we can sit down soon to hear what exactly is going on here,” Yeşilgöz said on X.

Caroline van der Plas, who leads the right-wing populist Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB), said Omtzigt’s departure from the talks was “baffling.”