Today Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte tendered his cabinet's resignation to Queen Beatrix after the collapse of talks on austerity measures this past weekend. The queen said she will take it under advisement.
An official statement and address to the parliament by PM Rutte is expected either today or tomorrow.
The ruling VVD-CDA coalition and its far-right parliamentary ally the PVV of Geert Wilders had launched make-or-break talks on the contentious issue of austerity measures on March 5.
The talks aimed at cutting 16 billion euros (U$21 billion) off the budget, which sat at 4.7 percent of gross domestic product for 2011 and steer Europe's fifth-largest economy back within EU deficit targets.
On Saturday afternoon after some seven weeks of negotiations Wilders suddenly quit the talks and shortly afterwards Rutte announced its failure, saying new elections were likely.
The possibility of a June 27 election is being mentioned as the earliest date for the election but this could be postponed till the autumn.
Fraction leaders of all the political parties in the Dutch parliament are presently discussing the possibility of putting together a budget which meets EU demands and can be supported by a majority in Parliament before the elections are held .
EU-Digest
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