Two small parties refused to make it difficult for refugee families to reunite. Prime Minister Rutte apparently accepted failure.
According to a media report, the Dutch government coalition fell apart in a dispute over asylum policy. The ANP news agency reported the development late on Friday. In recent days, there has been a row in the four-party coalition over a move by Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s conservative VVD party on the matter. The influx of asylum seekers must be limited.
Like other European countries, the Netherlands is struggling with the question of how to deal with the large number of immigrants. The prime minister’s centre-right VVD party has proposed tough rules for asylum seekers and has threatened to leave cabinet if Rutte’s proposed measures are not approved. Specifically, Rutte calls for making family reunification more difficult for war refugees.
New elections are in the room
However, two junior parties refused to support this. The Christian Democrat party Christen Unie declared that it “could not accept Rutte’s proposal”, and Finance Minister Sigrid Kaag’s centre-left D66 party is said to have rejected the request. New elections must now be scheduled.
The Dutch government has been at loggerheads on the issue since it took office a year and a half ago. A scandal erupted last year when a baby died in a crowded migration centre. Rutte’s previous government resigned in 2021 following a child support scandal.
Asylum requests increase
According to previous media reports, Rutte was prepared in the current case to let the government fail if necessary. Asylum claims in the Netherlands rose by a third to over 46,000 last year and are expected to rise to over 70,000 this year – a new record since 2015.
This is likely to place a significant burden on the country’s asylum facilities. For months last year, hundreds of refugees were forced to sleep outdoors with little or no access to clean water, sanitation or healthcare. Rutte had announced that he wanted to improve conditions at the facility by reducing the number of refugees. (APA/Portal/AFP)