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6 June 2025
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Dutch government to carry on with asylum plans despite PVV exit

June 4, 2025
Dick Schoof arriving for Wednesday's debate on the downfall of his cabinet. Photo: ANP/Remko de Waal

The Dutch government is set to press ahead with new laws to limit asylum despite losing its mandate after a majority of MPs backed the move.

Prime minister Dick Schoof said “decisiveness” was needed to deal with “big challenges, both nationally and internationally”, including immigration, the war in Ukraine and Donald Trump’s tariff regime.

The cabinet collapsed on Tuesday when Geert Wilders withdrew his far-right PVV party from the coalition, but will continue in a caretaker capacity until new elections take place, probably in October.

MPs will draw up a list of “controversial” subjects that will be held over until a new government is sworn in, based on the balance of parties in the new parliament.

During a debate on the downfall of Schoof’s cabinet on Wednesday, a majority of parties indicated they were prepared to allow Schoof’s coalition of the remaining parties – VVD, NSC and BBB – to keep making decisions on migration.

Henri Bontenbal, leader of the Christian Democrats (CDA), emphasised any bills would need to be thoroughly scrutinised. “It’s going to be a puzzle working out what’s achievable,” he said.

Wilders: “no choice”

NSC leader Nicolien von Vroonhoven said her party would not support repealing the “spreading law” that requires local authorities to house minimum numbers of asylum seekers, which was one of the PVV’s main priorities.

The parties clashed during the debate on Wilders’ decision to withdraw his ministers from cabinet after the other three parties refused to sign up to a 10-point plan designed to speed up implementation of the “harshest asylum policy ever”.

Wilders insisted he had no choice but to pull out after the cabinet, including PVV asylum minister Marjolein Faber, failed to deliver on his plans during its 11-month lifespan.

“Ultimately we had to hold our heads up high and there was no other conclusion than to say: without us,” he said.

Wilders also said he would continue to support Ukraine, but “the extent to which we do that is something we need to look at”.

Dilan Yesilgöz, leader of the right-wing liberal VVD, accused Wilders of using the deadlock over asylum as an excuse to walk away from his responsibilities.

“He didn’t want our signatures, he wanted a way out,” she said, adding that the other parties had offered to table a motion supporting his 10-point plan. “But it didn’t matter what we came up with: he wasn’t listening.”

Yesilgöz: “no regrets”

Yesilgöz herself came under fire from Frans Timmermans, leader of the left-wing opposition party GroenLinks-PvdA, for agreeing to form a coalition with the PVV, even though she said immediately after the election that the VVD would stay in opposition.

“This right-wing cabinet which you lauded so much has achieved nothing for the Netherlands,” Timmermans said. “Make it clear to parliament that you will never, ever team up with Wilders again.”

Yesilgöz hit back, accusing Timmermans of being out of touch with ordinary voters’ concerns. “Since the day Mr Timmermans found his way back to Dutch politics, I have never once heard him mention the struggles of people at home and the reason why they vote the way they do,” she said. “The arrogance is indescribable.”

She said she had no regrets about going into government with the PVV, “because it was the only cabinet in which I could get things done”.

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Asylum Politics Schoof cabinet
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