Coalition crisis talks end third day without a deal

Prime minister Rob Jetten (D66) and deputy prime ministers Dilan Yesilgöz (VVD) and Bart van den Brink (CDA) held crisis talks for a third full day on Sunday at the Zwaluwenberg estate in Hilversum, without a breakthrough. Aides to those involved said so on Sunday evening.

The parties observed radio silence during the day. On Saturday the talks ended early in the evening after the three had dinner together; on Sunday they ran longer. The cabinet has not fallen: the three leaders are still talking.

On Saturday morning they closeted themselves at the estate, and the parliamentary party leaders joined them later that morning. The participants dined together but did not stay overnight, and the talks resumed on Sunday morning.

The talks will continue on Monday at the Catshuis, with the cabinet's leaders.

The Jetten cabinet is a minority government of D66, the VVD and the CDA. Earlier this weekend Yesilgöz called it “a failed experiment” (een mislukt experiment) and openly raised the possibility that the cabinet could fall. She is gloomy about the outlook. Jetten still wants to carry on with the cabinet and says he wants to work to keep it going.

The crisis was triggered by the tax plan (belastingplan). D66 and the CDA struck a deal on it with left-wing parties, including Denk, and the VVD is unhappy about that. The VVD says its contact with Denk and other parties concerned only a ChristenUnie proposal that could have stopped an amendment by the party PRO.