The four parties working on forming a new coalition government aim to have a draft agreement finalised by December 5 and to have sorted out the ministerial line-up before Christmas, sources close to the talks have told current affairs show Nieuwsuur.

Next week the negotiators from the four parties – VVD, D66, CDA and ChristenUnie – will spend three days at the defence ministry’s country estate near Hilversum working on their plans, with the target of a workable agreement by the end of this month.

According to broadcaster NOS, the new cabinet will have more ministers than the current one and will have a ‘different sort of job’. This is because the coalition agreement will be a broad sketch of ideas rather than a detailed plan, NOS said.

The Netherlands has been without a proper government since January 15, when the current administration resigned over the childcare benefit scandal. The general election took place in March.