OK, my mistake. They still did alright, but not as well as I thought.
It's a confusing system you use, but seems to be far more democratic than what we have in the Americas.
I wish Canada would start using coalitions. We're a dominantly left leaning population that ends up with a conservative government as often as not because of our less than representative system.
Note that when I say left, it is closer to a European style left and less like the authoritarian left that has infected the American Democratic party. But we are sliding that way.
Our current Liberal (TM) overlords promised electoral reform, but that was just a lie to get into office.
I am becoming so jaded. I want the best for you because I would love to see someone end up with a mature and democratic representation.
Good luck.
It's a lot better then the two party dictatorships in the Americas in my opinion.
The system represents minorities
promotes cooperation
is 100% democratic
offers nuance
if you disagree with a party you voted on, you can switch to a likeminded party instead of having to walk over the line towards the other side.
It also has drawbacks:
we do not directly choose our PM
With cooperation and coalition come compromises
TBH I am happy Wilders didn't win big, I was dreading this. Imagine how the Turkey crisis would go if Wilders would be the PM versus Erdogan....
I also like being in the EU and see the tremendous profits for a trading country like ours in an open bordered EU. Leaving will cost us so many $ it would wreck us.
I like free trade and travel too, but it doesn't require the EU in its current form. There is also EFTA which was competing with the fledgling EU for a long while, and still exists with Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein as member states (and possibly UK as a future member).
Personally I want to see the EU fall. I understand your view, and would probably share it if I lived there. But from a selfish point of view, anything that helps or enables globalization is not something I want to see succeed. I am lucky enough to live in one of the few countries that could be 100% self sufficient. So the idea of tying our fates to an unstable global economy scares me. As recent history has shown,when your stability depends on your neighbors behaving themselves, things can and will be chaotic.
I get that most of the world does not have the luxury of self sufficiency and must count on their neighbors. So for them the pros outweigh the cons. But we're in a better position for it, and would be better off with an isolated economy.
And as far as Turkey goes, you are right that it will be less turbulent this way. But I don't see it solving the problem, just prolonging it. I hope I am wrong, but I think sooner or later the Turks are going to have to be dealt with in a decisive manner. Delaying that is more likely to make it worse when shit does go down. I may be wrong about that, and I hope I am. But I fear I'm not.
PVV = freedom party / wilders / populist right
VVD = PM Rutte / right liberals
Name of the game is getting 76 seats with a coalition. Biggest coalition party provides the PM (VVD) and no one is forced to work with any other party, no matter which party won.
To form a coalition with these results would need atleast a 4 party coalition looking at it.
VVD has made a strong statement not wanting to rule with PVV (they dropped the cabinet a few years back so there is old pain) and CDA didnt want to either so Wilders is benched to the opposition again.
So logically it would be VVD, CDA, D66 and a small 4th party
The formation circus will go full swing for the next weeks so we will see
There is no set time limit to complete the formation. Usually its done in a few weeks. with 4-5 parties it usually takes longer especially since neither the right or left has a majority. I'd guess 6-8 weeks based on earlier formations.
Belgium had big problems forming a coalition a few years back, took them 1,5 years then https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007%E2%80%9311_Belgian_political_crisis