Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands has appointed centre-right liberal leader Mark Rutte the new prime minister.

He was asked on Thursday night to form a government with ministers of his free-market VVD party and the Christian Democrat CDA. The minority coalition will be supported in the Lower House by the anti-Islam Freedom Party led by Geert Wilders, which will however not have any ministers in the cabinet. Mr Wilders has signed an accord promising that his 24 MPs will vote with the government.

Freedom of religion
The indecisive outcome of the 9 June general elections led to protracted negotiations in which several coalitions were explored. The final phase of the talks was marred by deeply-felt objections among Christian Democrats against the views held by the Freedom Party, which they said amounted to a violation of the freedom of religion.

After his appointment Mr Rutte told reporters he expects to present his cabinet on Thursday. The VVD and CDA will each have six ministers and four deputy ministers. The two parties have committed themselves to a programme of deep budget cuts, immigration-curbing measures, and a raft of popular plans such as higher traffic speeds, partial lifting of the smoking ban, and "animal cops".

Shadows
With the appointment of a new prime minister the Queen's temporary political role comes to an end. The Dutch head of state is not involved in politics, but in the interim between governments, unwritten rules allow the constitutional monarch to exert political influence through the appointment of advisors, negotiators and finally, a prime minister. Once the new government is sworn in, the Queen steps back into the non-political shadows.
 

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