On Koolmees' advice, D66 and Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) started substantial negotiations on 13 November 2025. They were guided by informateurSybrand Buma (CDA), with Hans Wijers (D66) having resigned on the second day after doubts emerged regarding his neutrality. The document drawn up by D66 and CDA was unable to break the deadlock, and Buma subsequently advised continuing negotiations with the VVD included. The talks have been taking place under the leadership of Rianne Letschert (D66) since 10 December.
During the campaign, possible coalitions were discussed. GL-PvdA, D66, CDA, and smaller parties continued to exclude the PVV. The VVD ruled out governing with the PVV, and also repeatedly made clear it did not want to join a coalition with the GL-PvdA.[1]
Election results
D66 and PVV won 26 seats each, with D66 winning more votes. 26 seats was the lowest number of seats ever won by the largest party.[2] Based on the results, a centrist cabinet of D66, VVD, CDA, and GroenLinks-PvdA would have a majority of 86 seats in the House. A centre-right cabinet of D66, VVD, CDA, and JA21 would have 75 seats, and would require a fifth party to reach a majority.
Scout Koolmees
Former D66 minister Wouter Koolmees, who was appointed as scout
Because of uncertainty over which party would end up as the largest, the selection of a scout was postponed until 4 November.[3] President of the Nederlandse Spoorwegen and former minister Wouter Koolmees was selected as scout, as proposed by his party D66.[4] Koolmees met the party leaders on 5 and 6 November.
D66 party leader Rob Jetten expressed a preference for a centrist coalition.[1] He was open to negotiating with JA21 if not together with VVD.[5] GroenLinks–PvdA parliamentary leader Jesse Klaver, who was chosen after lead candidate Frans Timmermans retired following the electoral loss, was open to either governing or remaining in opposition. PVV leader Geert Wilders wanted to join a coalition, and ruled out providing confidence and supply.[6] VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz reiterated that the VVD did not want to form a coalition with GroenLinks–PvdA, instead favouring a centre-right coalition with JA21. CDA leader Henri Bontenbal refused to express a preference.[7] JA21 leader Joost Eerdmans preferred a right-wing coalition with a majority, and said there was no chance of a coalition with GroenLinks–PvdA.[8]
BBB leader Caroline van der Plas said she did not want to join a cabinet but was "not opposed" to a coalition of D66, VVD, CDA, and JA21.[9] SP leader Jimmy Dijk and CU leader Mirjam Bikker saw no role for their parties in a cabinet, and predicted the centrist cabinet as the most logical option.[10][11] SGP leader Chris Stoffer favoured the formation of a right-wing coalition, possibly with PVV, and ruled out joining or supporting a cabinet with D66.[12]
On 7 November, Koolmees met with Jetten and Eerdmans, and with Yeşilgöz and Klaver. Neither meeting changed the positions of VVD or D66 regarding GroenLinks–PvdA and JA21 respectively.[13] At the end of his assignment on 11 November, Koolmees advised that D66 and CDA should negotiate for three weeks. Their negotiations should focus on housing, nitrogen, the economy, international security, and migration.[5]
On 13 November, mayor of Leeuwarden and former CDA leader Sybrand Buma and former D66 minister Hans Wijers were appointed as informateurs, with the assignment proposed by Koolmees.[14] On the same day, NRC and De Telegraaf reported that Wijers had expressed a preference for a centrist cabinet on election night, and had called Yeşilgöz a liar. At a press conference on 13 November, he retracted his comments and apologised. On 14 November, NRC confronted Wijers with an older private message in which he called Yeşilgöz "a witch", at which point he resigned. Two weeks later, NRCcorrected their first story, after journalist Eric Smit came forward to say that he, not Wijers, had called Yeşilgöz a liar.[15]
Jetten, Bontenbal, and Buma invited experts and interest groups to update them on the five themes,[16] accompanied by co-negotiators Jan Paternotte (D66) and Bart van den Brink (CDA).[17] They composed a joint document parallel to the meetings,[16] intended as an outreach to other parties, which was presented along with Buma's interim report on 2 December.[18] The document included, among other things, a strict asylum policy, the retention of the Dispersal Act, and a phase-out of the mortgage interest deduction.[19]
Buma presented the document to the other party leaders over the next two days. Although most parties saw points of agreement, the deadlocks persisted. On 5 December, Buma met with the leaders of D66, VVD, GL-PvdA, CDA, and JA21. His proposal for a five-party coalition was not received enthusiastically and was blocked by the VVD. GL-PvdA also ruled out providing confidence and supply to a minority government.[20]
Over the weekend, it was decided that D66, VVD, and CDA would continue negotiations on a "basic governing agreement", while still keeping the option of a majority coalition open. On 8 December, Buma presented his recommendation for the three parties to proceed with negotiations.[21]
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