The Netherlands’ longtime ruling party says it won’t join a new government following far-right’s win

By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The process of forming a new government in the aftermath of far-right Geert Wilders’ stunning election victory is getting underway. Leaders of political parties met on Friday with the chair of parliament’s lower house to appoint a “scout” to investigate possible coalitions. Wilders’ far-right, anti-Islam party won 37 seats in the 150-seat lower house on Wednesday. The party of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte won 24, according to a near complete vote count. The new leader of Rutte’s People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy says the party won’t join a new coalition government but might support one on key votes in parliament.