'Oom Joop’ to seek mandate

Press, 25 May 1977, Page 9

'Oom Joop’ to seek mandate

■ NZPA-Reuter correspondent The Hague ) The Dutch Prime Minister for. the last four years, the (Labour Party leader, Mr (Joop den Uyl, wil) seek a (mandate from the voters (today for a new term at the ■ head of a Centre-Left coalijtion Cabinet. I Unless there is a major upset, 57-year-old "Oom I Joop” (Uncle Joop) has a (good chance of rebuilding I the partnership with the Christian Democrats that; (collapsed two months ago. i The voting for the 150-L (seat second chamber of the)] (States-General (Parliament)), 'will mark just the start of| ; (what could be several!; (months of intricate package I, (bargaining on the shape of a). I new Government. Mr den Uyl, an economist,!; is undaunted by the fall of: I his five-party Cabinet on j March 22. Fie is eager to(| push ahead with a series of s reforming bills dropped (j when the Government re-;t signed. it “These are the most im-|[ portant elections since! 1946,” the Labour leader has s said, warning the voters thatii they have a clear choice be-l[ tween further reform and ail return to a Centre-Rightle Government. (p No voter in the Netherlands ■ c should need to complain !r

.about lack of choice. ■ (Encouraged by proportional (representation, which gives) ja seat to parties with less; (than one per cent of the) vote, 25 parties are standing, and more than half are ex-; pected to end up in Parliament. The last Parliament! had 14 parties. The chronic schisms in I political life have failed to 1 stop the 13 million Dutch! advancing to become one of the most prosperous coun-i tries of the nine-nation i European Common Market. ( Unemployment remains at) a stubborn five per cent and) inflation is more than six)' per cent, but, despite some! long-term worries, the Dutch ■ economy has a balance of'i payments surplus and is j doing well compared to its'; neighbours.