MPs back plan to spread refugees around the country

MPs on Tuesday voted in favour of legislation that will force all 342 Dutch local authorities to accept their fair share of refugees. 

The ruling VVD and far right parties all voted against the legislation, which was drawn up by immigration minister Eric van der Burg, himself from the VVD. 

The pro-farming BBB voted against the plan and that will make its passage in the upper house of parliament problematic. BBB leader Caroline van der Plas said during the debate: “We all know the problems in Ter Apel and we don’t want to turn the entire country into Ter Apel”. 

The country’s only reception centre for refugees is on the outskirts of the Groningen town.

Research published by RTL Nieuws a year ago showed that more than half of Dutch local councils have not provided any housing for refugees in the past 10 years.

Richer council areas and Bible belt towns and villages are far less likely to have housed a refugee centre. The research shows that nearly all of the 25 poorest local authorities in the country have provided temporary housing for refugees at some point since 2012, while just three of the richest 25 have done so.

The Netherlands also has a major shortage of beds for both new arrivals and people who have been granted refugee status. 

Last Friday Van der Burg said he needed an extra 8,400 beds as a matter of urgency, on top of the 61,400 places already on the books.