AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders said on Wednesday he expected a new right-wing government to be formed by the end of June, although he had not yet found a suitable prime minister to lead it.
Wilders' nationalist party PVV was the clear winner in November's election and last week signed a coalition agreement with three other conservative parties after nearly six months of tense negotiations.
But it remains unclear who will lead the government after Mr Wilders withdrew from the top job several months ago in order to bring a potential partner to the negotiating table.
The outspoken anti-Muslim politician has yet to nominate a candidate since former Labor Minister Ronald Plasterk, who was expected to be his first choice, said last weekend that there was no candidate available.
“I am confident that a solution will be found,” Wilders said during a debate on the coalition deal, adding that it would likely take another five weeks to form a government.
Mr Wilders said the new prime minister would not be “constrained” by political leaders in parliament and would be expected to stick to the plans set out in the coalition agreement.
These include exceptions to EU migration and environmental rules and proposals that aim to cut the Netherlands' contribution to the EU budget by 1.6 billion euros ($1.7 billion), putting the Netherlands at odds with the EU.
The government's top policy adviser said on Tuesday that achieving such a goal was unlikely, but in a debate Mr Wilders ruled out defeat in Brussels.
“The prime minister will have a mandate to go to Europe and get this done,” he said. “And I believe it will happen.”
(Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Gareth Jones)
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