Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Almost an entire year after the Netherlands' general elections, Dutch leaders have reached a coalition deal to form a new government and Prime Minister Mark Rutte seems poised to receive a fourth term.
The coalition agreement was reached late Monday and involves four parties, Rutte's center-right VVD, the center-left D66, the center-right Christian Democrats and the conservative Christen Unie.
The coalition does not have a majority in the upper house, and opposition support will be needed to pass difficult legislation.
A 40- to 50-page document outlining the alliance's plans will be drawn up and presented to Dutch Parliament on Wednesday.
The coalition deal was set to be discussed on Tuesday, and Dutch lawmakers were expected to debate the agreement on Thursday or Friday. A new Cabinet under Rutte is expected to form during lawmakers' winter recess.
Party leaders said the new government will focus on free childcare, investing billions in housing and combating climate change, changes to the student loan system and research into expanding nuclear power.
Rutte's Cabinet resigned early this year over a child benefit scandal in which thousands of parents were falsely accused of fraud and subjected to racial profiling.