Dutch centrist Jetten to kick off coalition haggling

Dutch election winner Rob Jetten was to take the first step in the lengthy process of forming a government on Tuesday, appointing a negotiator to mediate between rival political parties.

The 38-year-old centrist scored a shock election win last week, narrowly beating far-right leader Geert Wilders into second place.

The razor-thin victory of just under 30,000 votes put Jetten on track to become the youngest and first openly gay prime minister of the European Union's fifth-largest economy.

First he has to form a coalition, always a tricky task in the Netherlands, whose fragmented political system ensures no party wins enough parliamentary seats to govern solo.

The complex parliamentary maths makes a broad coalition spanning the political spectrum the most likely option. This is also Jetten's first choice.

To secure a majority in the 150-member parliament, a workable coalition requires 76 seats.

This is possible with a four-way coalition bringing together Jetten's D66 party (26 seats), the centre-right CDA (18), the right-wing VVD (22) and the left-wing Green/Labour group (20).

However, persuading the VVD on the right and Green/Labour on the left to work together will be a delicate process.

In the Netherlands, the winning party leader appoints a "scout" to sound out the various parties and work out who is prepared to talk to whom.

Jetten will appoint this "scout" later on Tuesday.

Dutch media reported the person most likely to win the role is Wouter Koolmees, the head of national rail firm NS, who has previous scout experience for the D66.

Party leaders will come together later on Tuesday to approve or reject Jetten's appointment.

Only when the scout has completed the shuttle diplomacy required to present some potential coalitions do the real negotiations begin.

Until then, caretaker Prime Minister Dick Schoof is holding the fort.

He has said he expects he will still be PM at Christmas but Jetten has said there is no time to lose to form a government.