Dutch politician Rutte visits queen after election, wants to be prime minister
By APFriday, June 11, 2010
Dutch election winner visits queen before talks
AMSTERDAM — The head of the free-market VVD party, which placed first in Dutch elections, is taking the first step of consulting Queen Beatrix in his quest to become prime minister.
Mark Rutte is informing the monarch of the possibilities he sees for building a majority coalition after a split vote.
Analysts say he could assemble either a right-wing or a centrist Cabinet.
Rutte has told reporters outside Beatrix’s palace in The Hague that he thinks he will succeed in forming a coalition and becoming prime minister, but says talks will be “very complicated.”
The leaders of all 10 parties that won parliament seats in Wednesday’s vote are to visit the queen Friday.
She will then name a negotiator to open preliminary talks among potential coalition partners.
