Snap Elections Scheduled in the Netherlands Following Coalition Crisis
The Dutch government will hold elections on 29 October after the far-right Party for Freedom withdrew its support.
The Netherlands has announced that it will hold snap elections on 29 October 2023 after the coalition government led by Prime Minister Dick Schoof collapsed.
The crisis was precipitated by Geert Wilders' far-right Party for Freedom (PVV), which withdrew its support over disagreements regarding immigration policies.
Wilders demanded that his coalition partners endorse a controversial 10-point anti-migration plan, which included measures such as deploying military patrols to seal the borders, rejecting all asylum-seekers at entry points, suspending family reunification for recognized refugees, and deporting Syrians on temporary visas.
When coalition leaders declined to sign the proposal on Tuesday, Wilders announced the withdrawal of his party's ministers from the government, effectively bringing down the cabinet.
The coalition, which took over six months to form after the parliamentary elections in November 2023, originally consisted of four parties, including the PVV and other centre-right factions, under the leadership of Schoof, a former intelligence chief.
Despite recent polls indicating a slight decline in support for the PVV, the party continues to hold the position as the largest in the Dutch parliament.
Following the resignation of the coalition, Schoof is expected to lead a caretaker government until a new coalition is established after the upcoming elections.
Political analysts are now closely monitoring the implications of this development on the broader European political landscape, particularly in the context of rising populist sentiments across the continent.
The crisis was precipitated by Geert Wilders' far-right Party for Freedom (PVV), which withdrew its support over disagreements regarding immigration policies.
Wilders demanded that his coalition partners endorse a controversial 10-point anti-migration plan, which included measures such as deploying military patrols to seal the borders, rejecting all asylum-seekers at entry points, suspending family reunification for recognized refugees, and deporting Syrians on temporary visas.
When coalition leaders declined to sign the proposal on Tuesday, Wilders announced the withdrawal of his party's ministers from the government, effectively bringing down the cabinet.
The coalition, which took over six months to form after the parliamentary elections in November 2023, originally consisted of four parties, including the PVV and other centre-right factions, under the leadership of Schoof, a former intelligence chief.
Despite recent polls indicating a slight decline in support for the PVV, the party continues to hold the position as the largest in the Dutch parliament.
Following the resignation of the coalition, Schoof is expected to lead a caretaker government until a new coalition is established after the upcoming elections.
Political analysts are now closely monitoring the implications of this development on the broader European political landscape, particularly in the context of rising populist sentiments across the continent.
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