Dutch face new political crisis

Press, 27 August 1977, Page 8

Dutch face new political crisis

i NZPA-Rueter The Hague The collapse of protracted attempts by the caretaker Prime Minister (Mr Joop den Uyl) to form a new CentreLeft coalition Government has plunged the Netherlands into a fresh political crisis. Queen Juliana is expected to hold talks today with political leaders and advisers after the breakdown in negotiations between the Socialists and the Christian Democrats, over proposed legislation to legalise abortion. The 58-year-old Prime Minister handed back his assignment io the Queen after deciding he could not form a Government because he was convinced the Christian Democrats did not want to co-operate in the introductiuon of the legislation in the next Cabinet period. Mr den Uyi, who described the collapse of his attempts which had lasted since the May 25 General Election as “a very grave matter,” said, "I am convinced that a Cabinet which cannot agree on legalising abortion in the Netherlands would be failing in its social and legal policies.” It took Mr den Uyl a record 5| months to form his last Centre-Left Cabinet in 1973. It fell in March this year, two months before the General Election.

The Labour Party made sweeping gains in the election and now has 53 seats in the 150-seat Lower House, with the Christian Democrats the second largest group with 49. Political sources said ihe Queen might ask Mr van Agt to again try to form a Government with the Liberals, who with the Christian Democrats would command a narrow majority. Mr van Agt declined an earlier request by the Queen to approach the Liberals when Mr den Uyl’s first attempt to form a Cabinet failed. Another alternative is a minority Labour Government together with the Democrats.