June 3 (UPI) — Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof announced his pending resignation following the collapse of the nation’s government after the conservative Party for Freedom quit the Dutch coalition government on Tuesday morning.
Schoof announced he intends to resign and likely will submit his resignation to King Willem-Alexander’s cabinet by the end of Tuesday, the BBC reported.
Schoof told media he would resign after an emergency cabinet meeting concluded following the exit of the conservative Party for Freedom (PVV) earlier in the day.
The current cabinet will act as a caretaker until a new government is formed following elections that likely will occur in October.
“We have decided that there is now insufficient support for this government,” Schoof told media.
He called the PVV’s exit due to disagreements over the nation’s asylum policies “irresponsible and unnecessary.”
“As far as I am concerned, this shouldn’t have happened,” Schoof said.
The PVV exited the Dutch government after reaching an impasse regarding reforms to the nation’s asylum laws.
“No signature for our asylum plans. No amendment to the Outline Agreement, PVV leaves the coalition,” Geert Wilders, chairman of the PVV, said in a statement on X.
Wilders later told media he intends to replace Schoof as the Dutch prime minister in the election.
The PVV was the largest political faction within the Dutch government that was seated 11 months ago, and Wilders said he intends to increase the party’s numbers in the next election.
“I signed up for the toughest asylum policy, not the downfall of the Netherlands,” Wilders said earlier on Tuesday.
The PVV’s exit from the Dutch government came two days after Wilders threatened the collapse of the government on Sunday if the coalition did not adopt a majority of the PVV’s 10-point asylum plan, which includes military border enforcement, a halt to asylum, a ban on family reunification and deportation orders for Syrians, among others.
The announcement follows Wilders, an anti-Islam populist, and his party ousting then-Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the 2023 election.
However, Schoof was named prime minister by the country’s four major parties after they formed a fragile coalition government.
This is a developing story. Check back for further updates.
