Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is scheduled to meet with King Willem-Alexander today to discuss the formation of a caretaker administration after his center-right government collapsed due to disagreements on migration policies. The resignation of the coalition government is likely to lead to the dissolution of parliament and a general election, expected to be held in November.
Rutte, who has been in power since 2010 and is already the longest-serving prime minister in the Netherlands, expressed his desire to run for a fifth term but stated that he would consult with his party before making a final decision. He confirmed his willingness to continue by stating, “If you were to ask me to decide now, the answer is obviously ‘yes,’ but it’s also up to the party.”
The political crisis in the Netherlands stemmed from Rutte’s conservative VVD party’s efforts to restrict the influx of asylum seekers into the country. Tensions escalated this week when Rutte sought support for a proposal to limit the arrival of children of war refugees who are already in the Netherlands and to enforce a waiting period of at least two years before families can be reunited. The proposal faced opposition from the small Christian Union and liberal D66 parties, leading to a stalemate and the subsequent collapse of the government.
As the head of state, King Willem-Alexander is expected to ask Rutte’s coalition to serve as a caretaker government until a new administration is formed after the upcoming elections. This process typically takes months in the fragmented Dutch political landscape.
Immigration has become a major fault line in European politics, with the issue gaining prominence in the aftermath of the 2015-2016 migration crisis. Support for far-right parties, such as Germany’s AfD and Spain’s Vox, has surged in recent months. In the Netherlands, although migration is an important issue, it has been somewhat overshadowed by farmers’ protests against government plans to limit nitrogen emissions, which they believe will negatively impact their livelihoods.
The latest Ipsos poll conducted prior to the government collapse showed Rutte’s VVD projected to remain the largest party in the 150-seat parliament with 28 seats. However, the Farmers’ Protest Party (BBB) is expected to experience a significant surge from one seat to 23, becoming the second-largest party in parliament. While the BBB primarily focuses on the government’s nitrogen emissions plans, it also supports stricter migration policies, including a potential annual cap of 15,000 asylum seekers.
The Netherlands already has one of Europe’s toughest immigration policies, with asylum applications increasing by a third last year to over 46,000. The government projects a further increase to over 70,000 this year, surpassing the previous peak in 2015.
Source: With Agencies