Dutch centrist party rules out joining coalition with Wilders

Dutch political party NSC said on Monday it would not join a new coalition government with the nationalist Freedom Party (PVV) led by anti-Muslim politician Geert Wilders, citing irreconcilable differences.
The move by NSC, a centrist upstart that took 20 seats in the Nov. 22 election won by Wilders, effectively blocks the formation of a rightwing government that would have a majority in parliament.
Coalition talks were already thrown in disarray last week, when the NSC unexpectedly stepped away, leaving the three other prospective coalition partners to puzzle over their next moves.
A report by the intermediary leading the talks, former Labour minister Ronald Plasterk, on Monday made it clear NSC had no intention of joining any government coalition with the PVV as it said differences on the rule of law were too big to overcome.
Wilders won a quarter of the vote in the election, and needs other parties to form a workable coalition.