Dutch Government in Crisis as Far-Right Leader Geert Wilders Quits Coalition
The Dutch government was plunged into uncertainty yesterday after far-right leader Geert Wilders announced that he was quitting the coalition, citing its failure to crack down on asylum applications. Wilders, whose Freedom party (PVV) was the biggest in the four-party coalition, said that he could no longer support the government’s policies, which he claimed were not tough enough on immigration.
According to a report by the Financial Times, Wilders said on social media that he was leaving the coalition because it had refused to sign his asylum plans and make changes to the main coalition agreement. The PVV is set to leave the coalition, which has been in power for just 11 months and has been marked by frequent disputes. The cabinet was due to hold an emergency meeting yesterday afternoon to discuss the implications of Wilders’ departure.
The move has significant implications for the stability of the Dutch government, with Wilders’ Freedom party holding 37 seats. This leaves the government with just 51 seats, short of the 76 needed for a parliamentary majority. If ministers resign, Prime Minister Dick Schoof will be forced to call fresh elections. Schoof, a former spy chief who has never held elected office, was nominated by Wilders after other parties said they would not back the far-right leader for the job.
Sarah de Lange, professor of political pluralism at the University of Amsterdam, said that she expected an election to be held in September. She noted that the Freedom party’s support was dropping in polls, putting it level with the Labour/Green alliance and rightwing liberal VVD, with about 20 per cent support. "He wanted to end the coalition on his terms, stressing that he stood his ground on immigration," she said. "By doing this, he is hoping that immigration will be the core theme for the next election."
The crisis highlights the deep divisions within the coalition over immigration policy. Wilders had proposed a 10-point plan to cut migration, which included using the army to patrol the border, closing refugee accommodation centres, and sending home many Syrian refugees. However, the other three party leaders refused to agree to plans they said were illegal. Dilan Yesilgöz, leader of the second-biggest coalition party, the liberal VVD, attacked Wilders for "just doing what he wants". "We had a rightwing majority and he lets it all go for his ego," she told reporters.
The development has sparked concerns about the rise of far-right movements in Europe. Wilders has a history of making inflammatory comments, including a 2008 film that linked the teachings of the Koran with the 9/11 terrorist attacks and other atrocities. He has received death threats and has lived in a safe house with a police guard. The Financial Times reports that Wilders recently posted a poll on social media that found that a majority of Dutch people wanted to ban Islam from the country.
As the Dutch government faces a fresh crisis, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold. One thing is certain, however: the issue of immigration is set to dominate the headlines in the run-up to the next election. The question is, how will the Dutch people respond to the call of the far-right?
The news of Wilders’ departure has sent shockwaves through the Dutch political establishment. His closest ally, Caroline van der Plas of the Farmer-Citizen Movement, said Wilders was "irresponsible". "He has all the trumps in his hand and yet he just pulls the plug," she told reporters in The Hague. The implications of Wilders’ departure will be closely watched by investors and policymakers in the coming weeks.
This article is based on a report by the Financial Times, which can be read in full here: https://www.ft.com/content/5d92c5f4-c064-4143-890d-ddb7d288ad16.
