The right-wing Liberal party (VVD) is in crisis following the expulsion of its former integration minister Rita Verdonk for continually criticising the party leadership.

Dutch media report on Friday morning that senior party officials fear several MPs may also quit and side with Verdonk to form a new party.
VVD MPs agreed yesterday to force Verdonk out for saying the party had a too-low profile in the ongoing debate about immigration. ‘There is no confidence any more in Rita as a colleague,’ parliamentary party leader Mark Rutte told reporters.
Verdonk took more votes than Rutte in last year’s general election. And an early poll by tv show EénVandaag yesterday said that 74% of VVD voters did not think Verdonk should have been kicked out.
The VVD holds its annual meeting on Saturday, with the Verdonk crisis now set to dominate.
More to follow