THE DUTCH government has collapsed after far-right leader Geert Wilders withdrew his party from the coalition amid an asylum row.
Hours later, Prime Minister Dick Schoof declared he would offer his resignation.
ReutersDutch far-right leader Geert Wilders withdrew his party from the governing coalition[/caption]
ReutersPrime Minster Dick Schoof said he would offer his resignation[/caption]
Wilders’ PVV party was the largest in the four-party coalition.
Schoof slammed the decision to pull out as “irresponsible and unnecessary”.
He added: “As far as I’m concerned, this shouldn’t have happened.”
Earlier in the day, Wilders said he intended to become Prime Minister of the Netherlands “ensure that the PVV becomes bigger than ever in the next elections”.
In a last-ditch effort to paper the cracks, Schoof called a meeting between coalition leaders on Tuesday morning.
But Wilders walked out after just a minute – sounding the death knell for the current government.
The flash-point was a row over asylum-seeker regulations.
Wilders had demanded ten additional measures – including a freeze on asylum applications and halting the construction of reception centres.
The populist figurehead thundered on X: “No signature for our asylum plans. PVV leaves the coalition.”
PVV ministers will leave the cabinet, while those from thje remaining three parties will continue for now in a caretaker government.
Any fresh election is unlikely to be held before October, and the formation of a new government traditionally tends to take months in the Netherlands.
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