2023–2024 Dutch cabinet formation

Following the Dutch general election of 22 November 2023, a process of cabinet formation was started, resulting in the formation of the Schoof cabinet on 2 July 2024, comprising the Party for Freedom (PVV), the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), New Social Contract (NSC) and the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB).

[1] As the largest party, the PVV initially nominated Gom van Strien as scout, but he was replaced by Ronald Plasterk (PvdA) due to unrelated fraud allegations.

After a month and a half, tensions over financial disagreements led NSC to withdraw from the formation talks on 6 February.

On 28 May, civil servant Dick Schoof (independent) was nominated as Prime Minister after Plasterk withdrew over integrity concerns.

The party maintained its lead in the polls until the fall of the cabinet, though subsequently lost this position, partly because the nitrogen crisis was rarely discussed during the campaign.

This stimulated strategic voting on both the left and the right to respectively prevent or force a right-wing cabinet, from which GL-PvdA and PVV particularly benefited.

[8] Van Strien's task was to explore "which coalition options can count on support based on the election results".

[14] BBB leader Caroline van der Plas also preferred this combination "if Geert [Wilders] moves along a bit".

Most members and prominent party figures, such as Halbe Zijlstra and Hans Hoogervorst, were in favor of joining the government, though others, such as Jozias van Aartsen, Frans Weisglas and Ed Nijpels, opposed cooperation with the PVV.

[19] PvdD leader Esther Ouwehand wanted to hand the initiative to GL-PvdA and NSC and said that a coalition was possible "with many small parties in it, probably including ours".

In it he recommended appointing an informateur to investigate whether an agreement can be reached between the PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB "on a joint baseline for guaranteeing the Constitution, fundamental rights and the democratic rule of law".

The informateur should then explore whether there is a realistic prospect that the parties can reach agreement on a number of issues, including migration, good governance, climate, the nitrogen crisis and social security.

The party leaders were accompanied by Sophie Hermans and Eelco Heinen (VVD), Eddy van Hijum (NSC), Mona Keijzer and Henk Vermeer (BBB), Gidi Markuszower and Fleur Agema (PVV).

On 10 January 2024, at the end of a three-day meeting on the De Zwaluwenberg estate, the parties concluded their discussions, agreeing, among other things, that the rule of law, the Constitution, judicial decisions and international treaties would be respected.

Despite the agreement, the NSC told the other negotiators that it would only provide supply and confidence to a cabinet because of the 'rule of law distance' with the PVV.

The parties were informed by the Ministry of Finance, De Nederlandsche Bank and the Central Planning Bureau, who had previously recommended cuts of 17 billion.

VVD and NSC argued in favour of strict budget discipline, while BBB and PVV opposed major cuts.

Omtzigt argued that Plasterk had shared this information too late, and criticized the attitude of the other parties towards the financial risks.

[28] During the debate on 14 February 2024, Kim Putters, chairman of the Social and Economic Council and former PvdA senator, was appointed as informateur, based on a proposal by Wilders.

[29] During the spring recess, Putters consulted with experts, such as former informateur Herman Tjeenk Willink and vice-president of the Council of State Thom de Graaf, and then invited all parliamentary leaders.

[32] During the debate on 20 March with Putters, the House of Representatives agreed to Wilders' proposal to appoint former SGP MP Elbert Dijkgraaf and member of the Council of State and member of CDA Richard van Zwol to be appointed as informateurs for the negotiations between PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB.

On 15 April, Wilders left a meeting early, stating that he had received insufficient support from the other parties to limit the number of asylum seekers.

[35] By the end of the afternoon, the four parties reached a negotiation agreement (titled: Hope, Courage, and Pride), which was approved by their four factions late that evening.

[11] Ultimately, the civil servant Dick Schoof (independent) was nominated on 28 May as prime minister on behalf of the four parties (PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB) after being approached by Wilders.

[40] BBB was unhappy that they were only allowed to appoint two ministers, including the limited portfolio of the Education, Culture and Science ministry.

As a compromise, and following pressure on all parties from formateur Van Zwol, NSC gave the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning to BBB.

[44] Yeşilgöz's comments led to a crisis meeting in the afternoon with party leaders, in which they decided to keep Faber as the nominee.

[45] For the first time in a Dutch cabinet formation, the House of Parliament held hearings with the candidates (except the prime minister) between 20 and 26 June.

PVV deputy prime minister Fleur Agema posted a tweet during the debate that seemed to contradict what Schoof was saying.

In the end, three separate motions of no confidence toward Faber, Klever, and the entire cabinet failed to obtain a majority.