As there is a record number of parties participating, it may be possible that the King will need more than one day to talk with all leaders.
They will tell him what they want, what they see as a possibility. The King starts with the smallest party/ parties first by the way.
After all these meetings, the King will speak with his advisors, including the vice-president of the Council of State, the chairmen of the First and Second Chamber and perhaps one of two retired politicians/ Ministers of State.
He will then appoint an 'informateur' someone who will speak with the leaders of the political parties in more detail.
The informateur is almost always a retired politician, like a former prime-minister or deputy prime-minister.
The informateur will come to his conclusion about what coalitions are possible, and these possibilities will not include the PVV of Geert Wilders because 1. no other party wants to work with him and 2. he is not interested in governing himself as that would include making compromises and taking responsibility.
The Second Chamber will then appoint a formateur, often the political leader of the biggest party in the envisioned coalition. He will talk with the other parties in that (possible) future coalition and they will come up with a 'regeerakkoord' (government agreement). That is essentially the wheeling-and-dealing document where one party gives up point A in return for point B etc.
The appointment of the formateur is no longer a royal prerogative, the Second Chamber decided to take that into their own hands. However, if it proves too difficult (for example after two or three formation negotiations will fail...not unlikely with the diverse political landscape where a coalition probably requires four or even five parties to gain a majority), the Second Chamber may decide to pass the hot potato to the King.
If they do, you can be sure that the King will ensure that he is not seen as in any way partisan in the political debate so he will give Wilders time to explore, if Wilders want it.
--Previous Message--
: I hope that this does not become a political
: discussion, but I have a question about the
: King's role in the aftermath of the coming
: election.
:
: My understanding is that the King must offer
: the leader of the party which wins the most
: seats the first opportunity to form a
: government. In the current context, however,
: it seems that there is a possibility that
: the party which wins the most seats may be
: one with which all of the other parties have
: already vowed not to enter into a coalition.
: If that is the result, does HM still offer
: that party's leader (Mr. Wilders) the
: mandate to form a new government, or does
: the King have discretion to ask someone else
: who might have a better chance at forming a
: coalition?
:
:
1