Christian Democrats lobby against Wilders' role in Dutch coalition

Aug 12, 2010, 14:17 GMT

The Hague - The Dutch centre-right Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) was facing internal backlash Thursday from members concerned about its decision to hold coalition talks that involve Geert Wilders' Islamophobic party.

A manifesto released by the group argued against a minority coalition made up of the CDA and the People's Party for Freedom (VVD) that would rely on the votes of Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV), although it would not be a formal part of the new government.

June's election was indecisive, leaving no party with an outright majority and even the two largest centre-right parties without enough seats to form a stable coalition.

The manifesto, titled 'We stand up for our basic rights,' was initiated by 44 CDA activists who are now hoping to receive broad support from their party. They include delegates, professors and local politicians.

They accused Wilders of using his anti-Muslim and anti-Islam policies to turn 'a large minority of our population into a scapegoat for almost all of our society's problems.'

'With that, the PVV threatens not only the freedom of Muslims, but also the basic principles of our constitutional state and the freedom of us all,' they added.

No leading politicians of the CDA have signed up to the manifesto so far, media reports said. But the newspaper Trouw argued that it could now be difficult for CDA leader Maxime Verhagen to secure the party support he needs to back an agreement with Wilders.

Verhagen has been negotiating since Monday with VVD leader Mark Rutte and Wilders. With the support of the PVV, the coalition would command a slight majority of 76 seats in the 150-seat parliament.

The VVD had topped the ballot in the June 9 elections, securing 31 parliamentary seats. The CDA lost half of its mandates, dropping from 41 to 21 delegates. The PVV, meanwhile, boosted its seats from nine to 24, becoming the third most powerful party in the Netherlands.