Dutch nationalist Wilders on verge of forming right-wing government

A breakthrough was reached in March as Wilders, 60, toned down anti-EU and anti-Islam rhetoric, forfeited the position of prime minister and dropped opposition to all military support for Ukraine. "I can't see this fail," Wilders told reporters shortly after midnight, following 16 hours of talks during which parties said they had found agreement on government finances.

Dutch nationalist Geert Wilders was on the verge of sealing a deal - possibly as soon as Wednesday - to form the most right-wing government in the Netherlands in decades, almost six months after a major election victory. Wilders, who has influenced Dutch immigration policy from the opposition benches since 2006 and is known for his outspoken views on Islam, was expected to announce a four-party coalition later in the day.

Talks have dragged on for months since Wilders' upset election victory on Nov. 22, with immigration, finances and climate among the key sticking points. A breakthrough was reached in March as Wilders, 60, toned down anti-EU and anti-Islam rhetoric, forfeited the position of prime minister and dropped opposition to all military support for Ukraine.

"I can't see this fail," Wilders told reporters shortly after midnight, following 16 hours of talks during which parties said they had found agreement on government finances. He told journalists as he walked into meetings on Wednesday morning: "If everything goes according to plan today, it will be a great outcome."

A Labour party veteran who led some of the coalition negotiations, Ronald Plasterk, was named by Dutch media as a likely candidate to head a new government but that has not been confirmed officially. RUTTE'S PARTY TO JOIN WILDERS

The deal is seen bringing together outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte's centre-right VVD, the new centrist NSC party and upstart farmers' protest party BBB in a coalition with a strong majority of 88 seats in the 150-seat Lower House. After Rutte announced his departure from Dutch politics last year, Wilders rode a wave of anti-immigration and anti-establishment sentiment to his largest-ever electoral win, blaming a housing shortage on flows of asylum seekers.

He also drew on widespread concerns about the cost of living and the overburdened healthcare system. No details of the government pact have been announced but the incoming government is widely expected to impose stricter asylum migration policies.

Wilders, who has close ties with other European populists including Hungary's Viktor Orban, has also made promises of lavish spending on healthcare and a lowering of the retirement age. But budget constraints make it unlikely the other parties will all support these plans. The leaders of the other parties in talks also said a deal was close, although it was still unclear who would become prime minister and it could take weeks to agree on the top positions.

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