The new right-wing coalition will rely on the support of other far-right parties in the upper house of parliament to pass controversial legislation, and that means the pro-Putin Forum voor Democratie could have a key role.

Between them, the PVV, VVD and BBB have 30 of the 75 seats and need to find another eight senators to have a majority. The NSC is not represented in the upper house.

Forum voor Democratie, with two senators, JA21 with three and the fundamentalist Christian group SGP with two, would provide seven of the much-need eight, while 50Plus and regional party senators OPNL could make up the difference.

TV current affairs show Nieuwsuur reported on Thursday evening that the far-right parties would be prepared to support the fledgling coalition, including FvD, which is characterised by its support for Russia and conspiracy theories.

The VVD’s senate leader Edith Schippers, for example, told the programme she had always “worked very well” with the two FvD senators, while BBB’s senate chief Ilona Lagas said she had always been treated with respect.

“We will look at this government constructively,” FvD senate chairman Johan Dessing said. “I think it important that we in the senate look at how we can make this country better”.

Nevertheless, Dessing said he had problems with former spy chief Dick Schoof as prime minister, saying “he is the one who brought back jihadi brides in 2016”. This was a reference to Schoof’s role in bringing Dutch women who had gone to Syria and Iraq to join IS back to the Netherlands.

Martin van Rooijen, the sole 50Plus senator, said he wished that the new government’s policy plans had included something about pensions. “There we could do business,” he said.

During Thursday’s lower house debate on early retirement, none of the 37 PVV or seven BBB parliamentarians were present.

Senate’s role

The senate’s main duties are in the legislative field, but it also plays a role in scrutinising the actions of the government.

Formally the senate can only reject or accept legislation but in practice, however, it has rather more options and can require ministers to make amendments to legislation or give commitments to how it is implemented.

Recently, for example, the senate rejected plans to increase the minimum wage after BBB senators voted against. The BBB is the biggest party in the upper house.