Dutch parties to discuss coalition

Balkenende is expected to head the new government

The anti-immigration party of the murdered politician Pim Fortuyn, which came second in Wednesday's general election, has chosen as its new leader a 49-year-old former journalist, Mat Herben.

Mr Herben, a political novice who lacks his predecessor's flamboyance, will now represent the party in talks on forming a coalition government.

Mat Herben is the new leader of the LPF

Queen Beatrix was meeting on Thursday with her political advisers, and is expected to appoint a mediator for the coalition formal talks after official election results are announced next week.

Correspondents say a right-wing coalition of the Christian Democrats, who won most seats in the new parliament, the Pim Fortuyn List (LPF) and the free-market Liberals (VVD) is the most likely outcome.

Together they have 92 of the parliament's 150 seats.

Informal contacts

In his first comments after being elected LPF leader, Mr Herben said his priority in government, was not to shake up the Netherlands - which his party had already done - but to increase prosperity, reduce crime, and improve health and education.

Preliminary official results

The leader of the Christian Democrats, Jan Peter Balkenende, who is likely to be the next prime minister, has not said yet whether he's ready to share power with the LPF.

But late on Wednesday Mr Balkenende acknowledged the party's success, saying Dutch "citizens want a different kind of politics".

"Looking at the results, the voters have given a clear signal. But we'll have to discuss proposals and stability, especially with LPF," he said.

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Informal contacts between party leaders and Queen Beatrix were reported to have begun on Thursday.

The process of coalition building could drag on for two or three months, though Mr Balkenende said he hoped it would take no longer than a few weeks.

Compromise hint

The elections delivered a stinging defeat to Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok's ruling centre-left coalition.

We want to create a stable government so we can realise the aims of our party

Mat Herben

Labour Party leader Ad Melkert resigned after the party lost almost half its seats, and was replaced by the former speaker of the lower house of parliament, Jeltje van Nieuwenhoven.

The leader of the VVD, Hans Dijkstal, has been replaced by former Finance Minister Gerrit Zalm.

Correspondents say the LPF, which did not exist until three months ago, is handicapped by a lack of experience and well-defined policies and is already suffering from internal divisions.

But there were early signs the party might be beginning to practice the politics of compromise.

When asked by the BBC what the LPF aimed to achieve in government, Mr Herben said nothing about the party's election demand that the Dutch borders should be closed to immigrants.

He said he wanted to create a stable government, adding that his party's aims were the same as those of the other major Dutch parties.

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