The Dutch coalition government led by Prime Minister Dick Schoof fell apart on Tuesday after Geert Wilders, the head of the far-right PVV (Party for Freedom), pulled his party out, citing differences with his partners over immigration policy.
“No signature for our asylum plans … PVV leaves the coalition,” said Wilders on X, formerly Twitter.
He said he had informed Schoof that all ministers from his party would quit the government.
Wilders had been frustrated with what he saw as the slow pace of introducing the “strictest-ever immigration policy” that he had agreed with coalition partners after his election win in November 2023.
The government crisis comes just weeks before the Netherlands is due to host world leaders for a NATO summit.
What did Wilders want on immigration?
Wilders had already indicated in late May that he was ready to bring about the fall of the coalition if his 10-point plan to curb immigration was not put into action within a few weeks.
The plan included border closures for asylum-seekers, tougher border controls and deporting dual nationals convicted of a crime.
“Close the borders for asylum-seekers and family reunifications. No more asylum centers opened. Close them,” was how he summarized the scheme.
However, the plans were deemed unviable or even illegal by several political experts.
Some also suggested that Wilders was looking to collapse the government by creating a crisis.
Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher
