30 March 2005

AMSTERDAM — Amid concerns that a surge in membership could influence Saturday's vote, the D66 said on Wednesday new members will be able to vote at a crucial party congress to decide the fate of the coalition government.

New members will gain voting rights even if they pay to join the D66 party immediately prior to Saturday's meeting.

D66 officials previously said that people who joined after midday on Tuesday would not be allowed to vote on Saturday. It said affording immediate voting rights to new members was "not technically possible", news agency Novum reported.

But it now appears possible for new members to be registered in time, giving them the opportunity to vote, news agency nu.nl said.

The announcement came despite the fact that opposition groups such as Keer het Tij (Turn the Tide) were considering urging people to quickly take out D66 membership in order to bring about the fall of the Cabinet. The website geenstijl.nl had already issued the same advice on Tuesday.

D66 members will vote whether to accept the Easter coalition accord signed by the Christian Democrat CDA, Liberal VVD and D66 last weekend.

The accord was negotiated after important legislation paving the way for the direct election of mayors was blocked in the Senate. The D66 then demanded and won new policy concessions.

If D66 members reject the accord, the collapse of the coalition government is almost inevitable.

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

Subject: Dutch news