Valérie Hayer found herself in a challenging position following the formation of a new government in the Netherlands on May 13th. The People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) led by former Prime Minister Mark Rutte agreed to form a coalition with the Party for Freedom (PVV) led by far-right politician Geert Wilders. This decision further complicated matters for Hayer, as the VVD and Macronist MEPs sit in the same European Parliament group – Renew. As a result, Hayer is now indirectly associated with a party governing alongside the far-right in Brussels.
This development comes at a crucial time, just weeks before the European elections, as Hayer has made combating populism a central focus of her campaign. However, she is lagging behind the National Rally party in the polls and faces strong competition from Raphaël Glucksmann’s socialist and civic list. Hayer’s criticisms of Glucksmann’s perceived ineffectiveness within the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) may be undermined by her own alliance with the VVD, raising questions about her ability to distance herself from them.
Raphaël Glucksmann, who was organizing a press conference to launch a “resistance appeal against European far-right”, called on Emmanuel Macron to clarify his stance regarding the VVD’s alliance with the PVV. He urged the liberal group to immediately exclude the Dutch party, even if it meant losing a few MEPs. However, Hayer has acknowledged her limited power in this matter, stating that the decision does not rest solely with her. The issue is ultimately up to the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), the group to which the VVD is affiliated, who currently show no intention of sanctioning the Dutch party.
Despite her leadership position, Hayer lacks the authority to unilaterally exclude the VVD from Renew. With the majority of Renew MEPs belonging to ALDE, any attempts to expel the Dutch party or its members are unlikely to succeed without substantial support. Hayer’s commitment to addressing the situation post-elections highlights the complexities of her position and the challenges she faces in balancing her party’s principles with political realities. The outcome of this dilemma remains uncertain, as Hayer navigates the fallout from the VVD’s controversial coalition decision.
