Former EU climate commissioner Frans Timmermans will face a harder race than expected to become Dutch PM in nine days, says a leading Amsterdam journalist.
Frans Timmermans resigned in August from the European Commission to lead the Dutch Labour Party’s alliance with the Green party GroenLinks in 22 November’s elections Former PM Mark Rutte’s previous government collapsed in July over immigration policy.
“The heydays for Left-wing policies are over,” Syp Wynia tells Brussels Signal.
Left-wing parties have consistently never represented more than one-third of the Dutch electorate, says Wynia.
Timmermans would therefore have to work with parties firmly to his right if he were to seek a coalition.
The probability is higher that centrist and Right-wing parties will find an agreement amongst each other.
Migration will be an important factor in the coming elections, Wynia says.
New Social Contract, MP Pieter Omtzigt’s new centrist party launched in August, is a wildcard as well.
