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Euronews
an hour ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Dutch snap election to be held on 29 October after coalition collapse
Following the collapse of the ruling government and the resignation of Prime MInister Dick Schoof, the Netherlands will elect a new parliament on 29 October, outgoing Minister of Internal Affairs Judith Uitermark confirmed on Friday. The snap election was announced less than a year after the Dutch four-party coalition was formed, falling apart after far-right Party For Freedom (PVV) leader Geert Wilders withdrew his ministers. Schoof's 11-month-old administration goes down in history as one of the shortest-lived governments in Dutch political history. Wilders blamed his coalition partners for failing to act on his desire to crack down on migration. Last week, he demanded they sign on to a 10-point plan aiming to radically slash migration, including using the army to guard land borders and turning away all asylum-seekers. He said at the time that if immigration policy is not toughened up, his party 'is out of the cabinet.' A crisis meeting lasted mere minutes before Wilders made good on that pledge, angering other party leaders, who said they all had supported a clampdown on migration. "I'm shocked," leader of the right-wing People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) Dilan Yesilgöz told reporters, calling the decision "super irresponsible." 'The prime minister who appealed to us this morning said that we are facing enormous international challenges, we have a war on our continent, an economic crisis may be coming our way,' Yesilgöz added. The national Electoral Council had advised on a 29 October election earlier this week. An earlier election would have been hard to pull off due to a parliamentary recess that begins on 4 July and lasts until 1 September, followed by several weeks of campaigning. It means Schoof will lead a caretaker government when his country hosts the NATO summit in The Hague in a few weeks. Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said the government remains committed to hosting the meeting despite political turmoil. In a statement to lawmakers, Schoof said he wants to maintain control, even in caretaker mode, over vital policies in the coming months. 'As far as I'm concerned, it's about security, both nationally and internationally, including support for Ukraine and everything that's needed for defense," he said. He also wants to be able to act on the economy, including the global trade war unleashed since the start of US President Donald Trump's second term, "because that can have a direct effect on the Dutch economy and on our business community.' D-Day veterans gathered in Normandy on Friday to mark the 81st anniversary of the pivotal military landing in World War II. Along the coastline and near the D-Day landing beaches, tens of thousands of onlookers attended the commemorations, which included parachute jumps, flyovers, remembrance ceremonies, parades, and historical reenactments. Many were there to cheer the ever-dwindling number of surviving veterans in their late 90s and older. All remembered the thousands who died. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth commemorated the anniversary of the D-Day landings, in which US soldiers played a major role, with veterans at the American Cemetery overlooking the shore in the village of Colleville-sur-Mer. On 6 June 1944, the D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied France represented the largest-ever armada of ships, troops, planes and vehicles to breach Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's defences in western Europe. A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself. In the ensuing Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 wounded. The battle — and especially Allied bombings of French villages and cities — killed around 20,000 French civilians between June and August 1944. The exact German casualties are unknown, but historians estimate between 4,000 and 9,000 men were killed, wounded or missing during the D-Day invasion alone. 'The heroism, honour and sacrifice of the Allied forces on D-Day will always resonate with the US Armed Forces and our Allies and partners across Europe,' said Lt Gen Jason T Hinds, deputy commander of US Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa. 'So let us remember those who flew and fell." "Let us honour those who survived and came home to build a better world. And let us ensure that their sacrifice was not in vain by meeting today's challenges with the same resolve, the same clarity of purpose, and the same commitment to freedom.' Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed on D-Day. Of 160,000 troops landing in Normandy on D-Day, 73,000 were from the US and 83,000 from the UK and Canada. Forces from several other countries took part in the fighting, including French troops under General Charles de Gaulle. The Allies faced around 50,000 German forces. More than 2 million Allied soldiers, sailors, pilots, medics and other people from a dozen countries were involved in the overall Operation Overlord, the battle to wrest western France from Nazi control that started on D-Day.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
The Dutch government has collapsed. What happens next?
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch opposition parties called Wednesday for fresh elections as soon as possible, a day after anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders sparked the collapse of the country's four-party coalition government. Prime Minister Dick Schoof's 11-month-old administration fell apart when Wilders withdrew his Party for Freedom ministers. Schoof and the ministers of three remaining parties remain in power as a caretaker Cabinet. The government, with limited powers, now has to lead the country for months before new elections and during what could — again — be protracted talks to cobble together a new coalition in the fragmented Dutch political landscape after the vote. Lawmakers can declare some policy areas 'controversial' during the caretaker period. That restricts the government from taking concrete action on those issues. What happens now? The Dutch electoral commission will schedule a general election for all 150 seats in the Second Chamber of parliament. It is very unlikely to happen before the fall because of a parliamentary recess that starts July 4 and runs to Sept. 1 and that will be followed by several weeks of campaigning. What does Schoof want? In a statement to lawmakers, Schoof said he wants to keep control, even in caretaker mode, of vital policies over the coming months. 'As far as I'm concerned, it's about security, both nationally and internationally, including support for Ukraine and everything that's needed for defense,' he said. He also wants to be able to act on the economy, including the global trade war unleashed since the start of U.S. President Donald Trump's second term, 'because that can have a direct effect on the Dutch economy and on our business community.' But Schoof acknowledged that some other policies will be put on ice until there is a new coalition. 'The last thing we want now is postponement, but it is unavoidable in some cases,' he said. What do opposition lawmakers want? They want to go to the polls. 'I hope we can organize elections as quickly as possible, in the shortest possible time,' said Frans Timmermans, the former European Commissioner who now leads a two-party, center-left bloc. Timmerman's bloc of the Labor Party and Green Left is challenging Wilders' party for top spot in Dutch polls. Wilders won the last elections in November 2023. Lawmakers used Wednesday's debate to attack Wilders for failing to make good while in office on his 2023 election pledges — in what sounded like a proxy electoral debate. 'You turned your back on these people,' Jimmy Dijk of the Socialist Party said, suggesting that Wilders apologize to his voters. And it's not just the opposition that wants elections. Wilders also is looking forward to campaigning. 'Let's go back to the voter,' he said. What about the NATO summit and support for Ukraine? The government remains committed to hosting the meeting of government leaders from the NATO alliance in The Hague later this month. Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp took to X soon after the administration's collapse to stress that the meeting will go ahead despite the political turmoil. 'We remain fully committed to organising the #NATOsummit in The Hague. We look forward to welcoming all NATO Allies on 24 June,' he wrote. He also said the Netherlands will continue to support Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression. The Netherlands has provided key arms to Kyiv, including F-16 fighter jets. 'We remain committed to European cooperation and security. Dutch support for Ukraine is a key part of that,' he wrote.
Morocco World
3 days ago
- Business
- Morocco World
Geert Wilders Pulls Plug on Coalition to Collapse Dutch Government
Leader of the Dutch far-right Party For Freedom (PVV) Geert Wilders resigned on Tuesday morning, leading to a European political crisis. This resignation by the leader of the Dutch government's largest political party has led to the collapse of said coalition government and calls for snap elections in near future. Geert Wilders is a far-right populist politician who has been criticized repeatedly for racist and xenophobic statements. In 2016, he was found guilty of discrimination against the Moroccan immigrant community in a rally. Political experts have meanwhile reported him to be a NATO sceptic and anti-migration. Wilders's party is also known for calling for 'no Islamic schools, Qurans and Mosques.' The far-right in the Netherlands has grown consistently over the past decade, paving the way for Wilders's party winning the most seats during the 2023 parliamentary election. This resulted in a prolonged period of coalition negotiations, eventually leading to a new government in July 2024. The coalition was ultimately led by civil servant Dick Schoof, as other parties refused to accept a Wilders-led government, forcing him into the political margins. Tense cohabitation at the top The relationship between Geert Wilders, leader of the largest party, and Dick Schoof, leader of the coalition, was tense from the start. Although officially a member of the government, Wilders had been criticizing the government continuously on elements of policy like the continued support for Ukraine. Wilders eventually made an ultimatum to the government, stating that if the Prime Minister and other members of the coalition, which includes several parties, didn't accept the proposals on asylum migration, he and his party would resign from the government. 'Voters signed up for the toughest asylum policy and not the downfall of the Netherlands,' he fumed. Wilders then proposed his 10-point plan which parties were supposed to debate on Tuesday, despite not expecting much agreement. The 10 points include sealing all borders with military patrols, rejecting all asylum seekers, suspending family reunification for refugees, and deporting Syrians on temporary Visas as he claimed Syria is now safe. Wilders on Tuesday morning informed the prime minister that he was resigning and that his party would be withdrawing from the coalition. He then gave a speech at The Hague following a meeting with coalition leaders. The far-right politician then made an announcement on social media, explaining his reasons for resigning. This brought instability to the four-party coalition. An 'unnecessary and irresponsible decision' The resignation led to strong condemnation of other coalition leaders, including Dilan Yesilogoz, the leader of the Freedom and Democracy Party, former Prime Minister Mark Rutte's old party. ' Wilders is putting his own interests above those of the country,' Yesilogoz lamented. Dick Schoof agreed, arguing that the far-right leader's decision was 'unnecessary and irresponsible.' But Schoof admitted that this left the government position untenable. Schoof presented the resignation of the PVV ministers to King Wilhem-Alexander. But he stated that his government would resign as he realized that with only 51 out of 150 seats the government couldn't control the parliament. But Schoof stated that his government would remain in place until elections are called in the near future. With the resignation of Wilders, the Netherlands has to call for a snap election to be held in the near future. Polls predict that these elections will lead to large gains from centre-based parties and the Labor-Green alliance is likely to do well in the next election. Yet, despite the fact that the PVV is predicted to lose some support, many expect it to still win the highest number of seats. This means that the Netherlands is entering a period of great political uncertainty. Tags: dutch governmentDutch politician Geert WildersGeert Wilders
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Dutch prime minister will lead caretaker administration until new elections
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said his coalition government will become a caretaker administration after far-right politician Geert Wilders pulled his ministers out of the Cabinet in a dispute about a migration crackdown. The announcement completed a day of political turmoil in The Hague sparked by Mr Wilders' decision to turn his back on the ruling coalition. Advertisement Mr Schoof said he would offer the resignation of ministers from Mr Wilders' Party for Freedom to the Dutch king. He and the other ministers will remain in office in a caretaker capacity, he told reporters. The decision means the Netherlands will have a caretaker government when it hosts a summit of Nato leaders in three weeks. Geert Wilders (Peter Dejong/AP) No date for a new election has been set, but it is unlikely before autumn. Mr Schoof, a career civil servant who was handpicked by Mr Wilders a year ago to lead the government, said he had repeatedly to coalition leaders in recent days that bringing down the government would be 'unnecessary and irresponsible.' Advertisement 'We are facing major challenges nationally and internationally and, more than ever, decisiveness is required for the safety of our resilience and the economy in a rapidly changing world,' Mr Schoof said. Mr Wilders announced his decision early Tuesday in a message on X after a brief meeting in parliament of leaders of the four parties that make up the fractious administration. Mr Wilders told reporters that he was withdrawing his support for the coalition and pulling his ministers out of the Cabinet over its failure to act on his desire for a clampdown on migration. 'I signed up for the toughest asylum policy and not the downfall of the Netherlands,' said Mr Wilders, whose Party for Freedom is still riding high in Dutch opinion polls, though the gap with the centre-left opposition is negligible. Advertisement Coalition partners rejected that argument, saying they all support cracking down on migration. Dilan Yesilgoz, leader of the right-wing People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, said before the meeting that Mr Schoof urged the leaders to act responsibly. 'The prime minister who appealed to us this morning said that we are facing enormous international challenges, we have a war on our continent, an economic crisis may be coming our way,' Mr Yesilgoz told reporters in parliament. But just minutes later, the meeting was over and so was Mr Wilders' involvement in the government. Advertisement 'I'm shocked,' Mr Yesilgoz said, calling Mr Wilders' decision 'super-irresponsible.' After years in opposition, Mr Wilders' party won the last election on pledges to slash migration. He has grown increasingly frustrated at what he sees as the slow pace of the coalition's efforts to implement his plans. Last week, Mr Wilders demanded coalition partners sign on to a 10-point plan that aims to radically slash migration, including using the army to guard land borders and turning away all asylum-seekers. He said at the time that if immigration policy is not toughened up, his party 'is out of the Cabinet.'
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Wilders pulls his party out of ruling Dutch coalition in dispute over migration
Far-right politician Geert Wilders has pulled his party out of the ruling Dutch coalition in dispute over a crackdown on migration, sparking a political crisis and possibly the end of the 11-month-old government of prime minister Dick Schoof. Mr Wilders announced his decision in a message on X after a brief meeting in parliament of leaders of the four parties that make up the fractious administration. Advertisement The government meltdown comes just three weeks before the Netherlands is scheduled to host a summit of Nato leaders in The Hague and amid global instability. It was unclear what would happen next. The government could attempt to remain in power as a minority administration or call new elections for later this year. Schoof called an emergency Cabinet meeting for early afternoon. Netherland's Prime Minister Dick Schoof (Omar Havana/AP) Mr Wilders told reporters that he was withdrawing his support for the coalition and pulling his ministers out of the Cabinet over its failure to act on his desire for a clampdown on migration. 'I signed up for the toughest asylum policy and not the downfall of the Netherlands,' said Mr Wilders, whose Party for Freedom is still riding high in Dutch opinion polls, though the gap with the centre-left opposition is negligible. Advertisement Dilan Yesilgoz, leader of the right-wing People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, said before the meeting that Mr Schoof urged the leaders to act responsibly. 'The prime minister who appealed to us this morning said that we are facing enormous international challenges, we have a war on our continent, an economic crisis may be coming our way,' Mr Yesilgoz told reporters in parliament. But just minutes later, the meeting was over and so was Mr Wilders' involvement in the government. 'I'm shocked,' Mr Yesilgoz said, calling Mr Wilders' decision 'super-irresponsible'. Advertisement After years in opposition, Mr Wilders' party won the last election on pledges to slash migration. He has grown increasingly frustrated at what he sees as the slow pace of the coalition's efforts to implement his plans. Last week, Mr Wilders demanded coalition partners sign on to a 10-point plan that aims to radically slash migration, including using the army to guard land borders and turning away all asylum-seekers. He said at the time that if immigration policy is not toughened up, his party 'is out of the Cabinet'. Mr Wilders' decision comes days after conservative Karol Nawrocki was announced the winner of Poland's weekend presidential run-off election, a victory that suggests that Poland will likely take a more populist and nationalist path under its new president, who was backed by US president Donald Trump. Advertisement It is not the first time Mr Wilders has turned his back on power. He pledged his support to a minority government led by former prime minister Mark Rutte in 2010, but walked away less than two years later after a dispute about government austerity measures. 'You know that if you work with Wilders in a coalition … it won't go well,' Rob Jetten, leader of the opposition D66 party, told Dutch broadcaster NOS. Caroline van der Plas, leader of the pro-agriculture populist Farmers Citizens Movement that is part of the coalition, said she was angry at Mr Wilders' decision. 'He is not putting the Netherlands first, he is putting Geert Wilders first,' she told Dutch broadcaster NOS. Advertisement Nicolien van Vroonhoven, leader of the New Social Contract party that has taken a battering in polls since joining the coalition and the departure of its talismanic leader Pieter Omtzigt, said the government could continue without Mr Wilders, saying a minority Cabinet 'is definitely an option.'
