THE HAGUE, 15/05/09 - Premier Jan Peter Balkenende is not ruling out a cabinet of his Christian democrats (CDA) with the Party for Freedom (PVV), but did criticise Geert Wilders' party extensively yesterday in an interview with free newspaper Metro.

"Wilders gets too much attention. Real problems must be tackled forcefully. But tough action is already being taken against rioters, sentences are being stepped up, recidivists are tackled severely," according to the premier.

Although Wilders continually makes legislative proposals, Balkenende concludes that he has no answer to "the problems" around the integration of Muslims. It is also "nonsense to act as though he has shaken us awake."

The premier considers that Wilders "lumps the whole of Islam together" as a result of which "he does not do right to very many people and he ignores all the things that are going well."

Balkenende acknowledges that Moroccan youths often misbehave. "I get far too many letters from people who dare not go on public transport and who are afraid on the street. This must not be happening."

Balkenende refused to go into the question of whether the CDA wants to govern with Wilders. "I will make no comments on that."