Posted on 05/27/2003 10:19:30 AM PDT by knighthawk
ENDING a year of political turmoil, the new Dutch centre-right government of Christian Democrats, Liberals and the centrist D66 party was sworn in by Queen Beatrix today.
Christian Democrat leader Jan Peter Balkenende will stay on as prime minister.
The queen received Balkenende's team of 16 ministers and 10 state secretaries at a ceremony in her palace in The Hague following four months of negotiations over the composition of the new cabinet after January elections.
Long periods of political horse-trading following elections are not unusual in the Netherlands, where a system of proportional representation means it is virtually impossible for any one party to get a parliamentary majority .
Christian Democrats and Liberals hold a combined 72 seats in the 150-seat lower house, which means the six seats held by D66 are critical to their majority.
Many in the Netherlands hope that the installation of a new government will put an end to nearly a year of political instability in the country after the murder of rightwing populist leader Pim Fortuyn in May last year.
If people want on or off this list, please let me know.
New Dutch government: "Fole dee yerkin?"
All: Aye!
Courtesy Benny Hill....remember?
Also a good time to remind the casual onlooker that the "Liberal" party VVD in Dutch politics has a relatively conservative, economically libertarian agenda.
IYO, will the new government be predisposed to implementing reforms that were championed by Pim Fortuyn, or will they be more likely to continue the failed policies of the past?
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