Dutch ruling party rules out post-election coalition with anti-immigration PVV

The Dutch liberal party VVD has ruled out working together with Geert Wilders' Freedom Party PVV whatever the outcome of the general election is in next March.

The PVV "is a party which the VVD can do nothing with and will not work together with", reiterated the VVD's parliamentary chief Halbe Zijlstra in interviews with Dutch media on Sunday and Monday.

It is not possible to form a coalition with a partner that wants to abolish religious freedom and freedom of expression for all groups of people, said Zijlstra.

The VVD led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte is currently in a two-party coalition with the Labour party PvdA. Recent polls said the anti-immigration PVV would take 31 to 37 seats in the 150-seat lower house of the parliament, far ahead of other parties.

In the Netherlands, the leader of the biggest party after the election is to form a government, but he will need other major parties to form a coalition. All other major parties have said they will not work with the PVV.

Till Thursday, 81 political parties have registered to take part in the March 15 general election. Parties have until January 30 to finalise their list of potential members of parliament. The electoral council will then declare how many parties are actually included on the voting form.

Earlier in December, PVV leader Geert Wilders was found guilty of inciting racial discrimination against Dutch Moroccans.

He was condemned for his actions leading a PVV party rally calling for "fewer, fewer" Moroccans in March 2014, but he received no punishment from the three judges. Endit