Dutch Government Collapses as Far-Right Leader Wilders Exits Coalition
WafricNews | June 3, 2025
Less than a year after being sworn in, the Dutch government has collapsed in dramatic fashion after far-right leader Geert Wilders pulled his party out of the fragile ruling coalition—plunging the Netherlands back into political uncertainty.
Wilders, whose Freedom Party (PVV) was the largest bloc in the coalition, stormed out of a crisis meeting on Tuesday after his sweeping demands on asylum policy were rejected. His departure effectively ends Prime Minister Dick Schoof’s short-lived administration and sets the stage for snap elections, likely to be held in the autumn.
“No signature for our asylum plans. PVV leaves the coalition,” Wilders posted bluntly on X, confirming the move that sent shockwaves through Dutch politics.
Immigration Flashpoint Explodes
At the heart of the breakdown was Wilders' push for 10 hardline asylum measures—including freezing new asylum applications, halting reception centre construction, and curbing family reunification rights. These proposals, dismissed during initial coalition talks over legal concerns, re-emerged as red lines for Wilders, who claimed the government failed to back them.
But critics across the political spectrum are accusing him of manufacturing a crisis.
“This wasn’t about asylum at all,” said VVD leader Dilan Yesilgoz, calling the move “super irresponsible.”
“I think Wilders is betraying the Netherlands,” added Deputy Prime Minister Mona Keijzer of the BBB, one of the other coalition partners.
The Socialist Party went further, calling the government’s fall a “liberation” from a chaotic alliance of “four right-wing quarrelsome parties that achieve nothing,” according to opposition leader Jimmy Dijk.
A Coalition Born from Deadlock, Ended in Discord
The now-defunct government—formed in July 2024 after months of post-election negotiations—was always uneasy. It brought together Wilders' anti-immigration PVV, the conservative-liberal VVD, the rural populist Farmers' Citizen Movement (BBB), and the technocratic New Social Contract (NSC).
While Wilders held the upper hand with the largest number of seats, the partnership was built on political compromise that clearly didn’t hold.
Analysts suggest Wilders is repositioning himself for another election campaign—this time putting immigration back at the centre of national debate. But after nearly a year controlling the country’s asylum and immigration portfolios, his party’s track record may prove a double-edged sword.
Political Fallout—and a Delicate NATO Moment
An emergency cabinet meeting has been called, and it is widely expected that Prime Minister Schoof will formally submit the government’s resignation to King Willem-Alexander by day’s end.
Despite the collapse, ministers are likely to remain in a caretaker role—at least through the NATO summit set to be hosted in The Hague later this month. Dutch media reports that fresh elections could be scheduled for September or October.
As Europe wrestles with shifting migration trends and surging far-right influence, the fall of the Dutch government will ripple far beyond its borders.
WafricNews will monitor developments from The Hague as the Netherlands prepares to head back to the polls.
By WafricNews Desk.
By WafricNews Desk.
Comment
To post a comment, you have to login first
LoginNo Comments Yet...