« I don’t want this anymore, » said Wilders and then dropped the cabinet

The PVV dropped the cabinet on asylum and migration, Geert Wilders informed Prime Minister Dick Schoof on Tuesday morning that he withdraws all the ministers and state secretaries from the PVV from the cabinet.

This puts an end to the PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB cabinet after eleven months and one day. VVD leader Dilan Yesilgöz, NSC party leader Nicolien van Vroonhoven and Caroline van der Plas of BBB, responded stunned. The conversation they had in the morning in Wilders’ room lasted ten minutes.

For a moment there was a relaxed moment. « Did you sleep well, Geert? » Asked Van Vroonhoven. But immediately afterwards it was clear that it was over with the right -wing cooperation. « I don’t want this anymore, » said Wilders.

From the first day of the cabinet formation, after the elections in November 2023, the interaction between the four parties was difficult. And it stayed that way, even when there was a cabinet. PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB went from one fight to the other, but every time it worked out just right.

‘Bizarre’

The fact that the government now falls on a subject that all four parties agree on is remarkable: they all want a stricter asylum policy. They wanted to submit a motion about that on Tuesday. Wilders demanded that the other three would put their signature under a ten-point plan about asylum, the others wanted that it was stated in the motion that PVV minister Marjolein Faber would work out that proposals.

That wasn’t enough for Wilders. The other three leaders called that « bizarre » and « incredible. » « Wilders does not put the Dutch on one, but themselves, » said Van der Plas. Yesilgöz called the decision « irresponsible » and said for all TV cameras that she was « very angry. »

Wilders does not put the Dutch on one, but themselves

After the conversation, Wilders had called Prime Minister to inform him. The crisis had run high in a few days, but Schoof had not witnessed. His cabinet was at stake, but he himself stood outside and could do nothing.

The partyless Prime Minister himself called the party leaders a few times, he wanted to know, says a person involved, « how the flag was there. » That started on Sunday, after Geert Wilders had threatened with the fall of the cabinet on X, if the other coalition leaders would not support his asylum plans. Schoof made another telephone tour on Monday evening, to hear how the conversation had gone at the end of the afternoon on Monday. And again on Tuesday morning, for the consultation in which the coalition fell apart. In the latter conversation, Schoof joined the party leaders to go through. He mentioned, among other things, the war in Ukraine as a reason not to drop the cabinet.

Accusations

It is uncertain how it goes now. The four party leaders discuss this with their groups. There are various options: new elections or a ‘restart’ from the cabinet, with the support of parties other than the PVV.

Opposition parties responded mainly on Tuesday morning with accusations against Wilders. CDA leader Henri Bontenbal calls the PVV « irresponsible and reckless. » ChristenUnie leader Mirjam Bikker thinks it is a « downfall » that Wilders « runs away so easily ». Jimmy Dijk from the SP calls for new elections.

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