Concerns among Dutch Christian Democrat leaders about cooperation with the anti-Islam PVV party are growing by the day. Today, caretaker Christian Democrat Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin voiced grave apprehension at the rift that is emerging in his party over a possible cooperation with the far-right PVV.
Deputy Interior Minister Ank Bijleveld, the party's number two, also announced today that she has applied for the post of Royal Commissioner in the province of Overijssel. She stressed, however, that she will continue negotiating with the VVD and the PVV to reach a coalition agreement. Some analysts see the move as a sign of dissatisfaction at the talks with the PVV.
In recent weeks, several former Christian Democrat leaders, among them a number of former prime ministers and former cabinet ministers, expressed similar concerns. But now they are being joined by a growing number of current CDA politicians. Health Minister Ab Klink, who recently resigned as coalition negotiator, had so far been the only MP to voice criticism at cooperation with the PVV.
The growing tide of criticism is putting pressure on CDA parliamentary party leader Maxime Verhagen, who is looking increasingly isolated.
However, on Friday, following coalition talks with VVD leader Mark Rutte and PVV leader Geert Wilders, Mr Verhagen again expressed optimism. He said: "I am convinced I will be able to convince the party" with the outcome of the coalition negotiations.
Mr Hirsch Ballin has requested to speak at the party conference where the coalition agreement is to be put to a vote. He has refused to disclose what he will say. But he described the formation of a CDA-VVD minority cabinet with parliamentary support from the PVV as "a very far-reaching matter". He added: "There are many different views. I'm concerned about the party's future now that there is so much disagreement at a crucial moment in our political history."
"You have seen how deeply this touches people, what it means for CDA members and other people in the country. The issue at stake is the cooperation with the PVV, what such a cabinet will do and what its relation with society will be" the CDA minister said.
Observers say VVD, CDA and PVV may reach broad agreement by the end of next week. The CDA party conference would then be held on Saturday, 2 October. If the agreement takes longer, the conference will convene on the following Saturday.
© Radio Netherlands Worldwide
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The CDA is at a crossroads with the Faustian proposal at hand with Geert and the PVV. The CDA leaders negociating this proposal cannot claim factually or in all certainty to speak for their complete party membership, thus a party convention to ratify or dismiss further negociations is now truly required. Such a convention would clear the air on who in the party favours such an agreement, and who opposes it, leaving individual members free to choose in a "vote of conscience" how the party shall proceed. Those opposing the issue will be free in a democratic and dignified manner to choose their own political futures inside or outside of the party ranks, making a clear and transparent public stance on the party's policy over the formation of the current coalition to be formed. A unilateral and pre-convention agreement with the PVV would be a premature and backdoor means of denying the CDA membership as whole an opportunity to voice where the party really is willing to take its core philosophy and principles into the pragmatic realm of relations with the incompatable values of the PVV. Therein will an open and due process emerge on the future of the CDA, avoiding an ugly fragmantation of the party. Members have and will still leave the CDA over this issue, but it will be so in an orderly manner, leaving those left in the party as the recognizable entity the party began as, and not as survivors of a spontaneous mutiny.
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