THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) - Dutch election winner Rob Jetten took the first step in the lengthy process of forming a government Tuesday, appointing a negotiator to mediate between rival political parties.
The 38-year-old centrist scored a shock election win last week, narrowly beating far-right leader Geert Wilders into second place.
The razor-thin victory of just under 30,000 votes put Jetten on track to become the youngest and first openly gay prime minister of the European Union's fifth-largest economy.
Wilders admitted defeat for the first time on Tuesday. He had earlier shared baseless claims of voting irregularities on social media, sparking fears he would not accept the result.
The far-right leader acknowledged that Jetten was well ahead in the vote count.
"The chance that that will change is quite small. So I congratulated Mr. Jetten on his victory," Wilders told reporters.
"But I did say that it will be short-lived," added the 62-year-old, who has vowed to be a thorn in Jetten's side in opposition.
Jetten now has to form a coalition, always a tricky task in the Netherlands, whose fragmented political system ensures no party wins enough parliamentary seats to govern solo.
The complex parliamentary math makes a broad coalition spanning the political spectrum the most likely option. This is also Jetten's first choice.
To secure a majority in the 150-member Parliament, a workable coalition requires 76 seats.
This is possible with a four-way coalition bringing together Jetten's D66 party (26 seats), the center-right CDA (18), the right-wing VVD (22) and the left-wing Green/Labor group (20).
However, persuading the VVD on the right and Green/Labor on the left to work together will be a delicate process.
VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz told reporters there was "no way" the two parties could work together.
'Stable and ambitious'
In the Netherlands, the winning party leader appoints a "scout" to sound out the various parties and work out who is prepared to talk to whom.
Jetten named Wouter Koolmees, the head of national rail firm NS, who has previous scout experience for the D66.
Koolmees "has a lot of experience in The Hague as a member of parliament, as a minister," Jetten told reporters.
"He has also experienced previous cabinet formations and he is able to bring together left and right," he added.
Only when the scout has completed the shuttle diplomacy required to present some potential coalitions do the real negotiations begin.
Koolmees is expected to deliver his report on Nov. 11, after which parliament will convene with new lawmakers to debate the way forward.
"I think it is important that there is a stable and ambitious cabinet," said Jetten.
Until then, caretaker Prime Minister Dick Schoof is holding the fort.
Schoof has said he expects he will still be leader at Christmas but Jetten has said there is no time to lose to form a government.
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By RICHARD CARTER Agence France-Presse
Source: Courthouse News Service
