Dutch coalition government dominated by an anti

THE HAGUE (AP) — The parties that agreed to form a Dutch coalition dominated by the far right are struggling to find a prime minister and warned Wednesday that the search might leave the Netherlands without a fully functional government for months.

Anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders, who convincingly won the November election, told legislators it might take until after the summer to cobble together a technocrat government. He reiterated that he would not become prime minister as part of the outline coalition deal.

The initial candidate for prime minister that Wilders had in mind withdrew early this week following reported allegations of his involvement in medical patent fraud.

“It could take one or two months,” or even up to a key parliamentary meeting in September, he said.

Wilders has been a divisive figure in Dutch politics for the past two decades and his appointment as prime minister would be seen as a step too far.

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