Dutch Government Collapses as Geert Wilders Quits Coalition
The Dutch government has collapsed after Geert Wilders, the leader of the hard-right PVV party, announced that his party is leaving the coalition government. The move is likely to lead to new elections and has been met with criticism from Wilders’ coalition partners.
According to GB News, Wilders said that his coalition partners were not willing to support his plans to halt asylum migration, which he had demanded immediate support for last week. In a post on social media, Wilders wrote: "No signature under our asylum plans. The PVV leaves the coalition."
The PVV party, led by Wilders, won the most recent election in the Netherlands, but recent polls have shown that the party has lost support since joining the government. The party’s proposal to reduce immigration, which included a call to halt asylum and temporarily stop the reunification of families for all asylum seekers who have been granted refugee status, was met with deadlock by the other right-wing parties.
As reported by GB News, the leader of the conservative VVD party, Dilan Yesilgoz, criticised Wilders’ decision, saying: "This is making us look like a fool. There is a war on our continent. Instead of meeting the challenge, Wilders is showing he is not willing to take responsibility." The leader of the centrist NSC party, Nicolien van Vroonhoven, also expressed her disappointment, adding: "This is incredible. It is irresponsible to take down the Government at this point."
Wilders’ announcement has ended an already fragile coalition, which has continuously struggled to reach consensus since its installation last July. The PVV party’s proposals, including plans to send Syrian refugees back to their home country and to close asylum shelters, were not supported by the coalition partners.
As GB News previously reported, Wilders was convicted of discrimination after he insulted Moroccans at a campaign rally in 2014 and only managed to strike a coalition deal with three other conservative parties last year after he gave up his bid to become Prime Minister. Instead, the cabinet was led by the independent and unelected Dick Schoof, a career bureaucrat who had led the Dutch intelligence agency AIVD and was the senior official at the ministry of justice.
The collapse of the government is likely to lead to new elections, which will be a significant test for Wilders’ PVV party. Recent polls have shown that the party’s support has waned, with the Labour/Green combination now roughly on par with the PVV.
In response to the announcement, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Netherlands’ Prime Minister Dick Schoof were pictured together, highlighting the potential implications of the government’s collapse on international relations.
The Dutch government collapse has significant implications for the country’s politics and its relations with other European countries. As GB News continues to provide updates on this developing story, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold and what the future holds for the Netherlands.
The country’s politics have been under scrutiny in recent times, with Wilders’ PVV party’s rise to power and its subsequent joining of the coalition government being seen as a significant shift to the right. The collapse of the government will likely have far-reaching consequences, both domestically and internationally.
This latest development in Dutch politics has sparked concerns about the stability of the country’s government and the potential for new elections. As the situation continues to unfold, GB News will provide updates and analysis on the implications of the government’s collapse.
