The ruling coalition in the Netherlands has split due to disagreements over the issue of asylum for migrants, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said at a press conference on Friday (July 7th). In this regard, the head of the Dutch government has decided to resign.
“It is no secret that the coalition parties have very different views on asylum policy, and today, unfortunately, we are forced to conclude that the differences are insurmountable. Therefore, I will immediately submit to the king a written request for the resignation of the government,” said Rutte, whose words son Dutch News.
According statement Rutte is expected to meet King Willem-Alexander on Saturday July 8 to discuss the Cabinet’s resignation. How reported broadcasting company NOS, because of this, the monarch had to interrupt his vacation and return to the country.
The current government will continue to temporarily fulfill its functions until a new cabinet is formed following the results of the elections, which will take place in November at the earliest, notes NOS.
Dutch News notes that discussions about a new asylum policy that have taken place within the government over the past few months have led to a political crisis in the Netherlands. Rutte’s party, the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), has been pushing for tougher measures to stem the flow of refugees.
Together with the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party, the Dutch Prime Minister’s party has advocated measures limiting the right of some refugees to be reunited with other family members. Harsh measures did not meet with the support of the “Democrats” 66 and “Christian Union” parties.
How noted Reuters, the situation worsened in the first days of July due to Rutte’s proposal to restrict the entry of children of refugees who left their homeland due to wars and who are already in the Netherlands. If approved, families will have to wait at least two years to be reunited.
The number of asylum applications in the Netherlands jumped by a third in 2022 to more than 46,000, reports Reuters. The country’s government predicts that this year the number of applications could exceed 70,000, which will be the highest since 2015.
Why is Mark Rutte famous?
Marc Rutte take Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 2010. In April 2012, his government already resigned. Then sharp disagreements between the parties on budgetary issues became the reason. However, in the snap elections of November of the same year, Rutte’s party again won.
In January 2021, the government formed by Rutte also resigned amid a scandal caused by a malfunction in the child benefit system. After the March elections of the same year, the Prime Minister formed the Cabinet for the fourth time.
Under Rutte, immigration laws were tightened. In particular, in 2012 a law was passed prohibiting children of migrants in the Netherlands from being reunited with their families. At the same time, the period after which migrants who marry citizens of the kingdom can obtain a residence permit has been reduced from three to five years.
In January 2017, Rutte spoke out harshly against migrants and refugees who criticize the “way of life” in the Netherlands, urging them to leave the country. Then he said that “the indigenous population is experiencing growing dissatisfaction due to the behavior of visitors who are unwilling to adapt”.
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