The Dutch political parties D66, CDA and VVD have decided to form a new national government as a minority cabinet following months of negotiations after the October 2025 general election. The three parties confirmed their choice to pursue this configuration at the end of a series of talks held on the estate De Zwaluwenberg in Hilversum in early January.

Under this arrangement, the coalition will govern without holding a majority of seats in either chamber of the Dutch Parliament — the Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives) or the Eerste Kamer (Senate) — and will therefore need to secure support from opposition parties on a case-by-case basis to pass legislation.

Background of the Talks

Coalition negotiations resumed in January after the winter holiday break, culminating in D66 leader Rob Jetten, VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz, and CDA leader Henri Bontenbal jointly announcing the decision to proceed with a minority government. Discussions had intensified as parties reviewed possible coalition options and weighed parliamentary arithmetic.

Earlier in the process, leaders examined options for forming a majority coalition that would include additional parties. One potential option discussed was cooperation with the right-wing JA21 party, a scenario backed by some within the VVD ranks in order to secure a slim majority in the Tweede Kamer. However, D66 remained opposed to including JA21 in the coalition.

Another option considered at the outset was forming a broader centrist bloc by including GroenLinks-PvdA. This combination would have provided a majority in both chambers of Parliament, but the VVD ruled out cooperation with GroenLinks-PvdA early in the talks, closing off that path.

Implications of a Minority Cabinet

The decision to form a minority cabinet means the new government must rely on external parliamentary support for every piece of legislation. Minority administrations are relatively unusual in Dutch politics and require ongoing negotiation with opposition factions to secure backing on key policy areas such as budget measures, migration policy, housing and other legislative priorities.

Informateur Rianne Letschert, appointed to guide the talks, oversaw discussions focused on policy alignment and the strategic choice between majority or minority governance. The agreement to proceed as a minority cabinet reflects both the electoral fragmentation resulting from the October election and the parties’ assessments of which combinations are viable given existing political stances.

Next Steps

Following the announcement, the three parties indicated they would work to finalize the details of the coalition agreement and prepare for the formal swearing-in of the new Cabinet, which political sources suggest could take place by late February.

Given its minority status, the Cabinet will need to maintain regular dialogue with other parties in Parliament to secure support for its legislative agenda. This approach places emphasis on negotiation and compromise on a bill-by-bill basis.

References

NL Times. (2026, January 09). D66, CDA, VVD will form new Cabinet with minority support in Parliament. Retrieved from NL Times: https://nltimes.nl/2026/01/09/d66-cda-vvd-will-form-new-cabinet-minority-support-parliament

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