Dutch PM Mark Rutte has resigned after his coalition government collapsed (Picture: Shutterstock)
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has resigned after the dramatic collapse of his four-party coalition government.
The decision by the Netherlands’ longest-serving premier means the country will face a general election later this year for the 150-seat lower house of Parliament.
Mr Rutte said: ‘It is no secret that the coalition partners have very different views on migration policy.
‘And today, unfortunately, we have to draw the conclusion that those differences are irreconcilable.
The four-party coalition government became embroiled in a bitter row over immigration (Picture: Shutterstock)
‘That is why I will immediately … offer the resignation of the entire Cabinet to the king in writing.’
Mr Rutte and his government will remain in office in a caretaker capacity until a new ruling coalition is chosen – although opposition parties have called for immediate elections.
The leader of the conservative People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), Mr Rutte has been the Dutch prime minister since 2010.
His current coalition government, the fourth he has led, took office in January 2022 following the longest coalition negotiations in Dutch political history.
The resignation follows tense talks between the four parties in Mr Rutte’s ruling coalition.
He had presided over late-night meetings on Wednesday and Thursday that failed to result in a deal on migration policy.
Further talks were held on Friday evening and Mr Rutte declined to answer questions about the issue at his weekly press conference.
Opposition parties have been quick to call for fresh elections (Picture: Getty)
‘Everybody wants to find a good, effective solution that also does justice to the fact that this is about human lives,’ finance minister Sigrid Kaag, a member of the centrist D66 party, said before the talks began.
The collapse has underscored ideological divisions in the coalition between the partner parties that do not support a strict crackdown on migration – D66 and fellow centrist party Christian Union – and the two that favour tougher measures – Mr Rutte’s conservative People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy and the Christian Democrats.
Henk Kamp, a senior member of Mr Rutte’s party, said: ‘It is a great shame that the government has now fallen.’
Geert Wilders, leader of the anti-immigration Party for Freedom, tweeted: ‘Quick elections now.’
Jesse Klaver, leader of the Green Left party also called for elections and told Dutch broadcaster NOS: ‘This country needs a change of direction.’
The coalition tried for months to hash out a deal to reduce the flow of new migrants arriving in the country of nearly 18 million people.
Proposals reportedly included creating two classes of asylum – a temporary one for people fleeing conflicts and permanent one for people trying to escape persecution – and reducing the number of family members who are allowed to join asylum seekers in the Netherlands.
Last year, hundreds of asylum seekers were forced to sleep outdoors in squalid conditions near an overcrowded reception centre as the number of people arriving in the Netherlands outstripped available beds.
During provincial elections earlier this year, a populist pro-farmer party put Mr Rutte’s party into second place, a result which heaped further pressure on Mr Rutte’s premiership.
The defeat was seen as a possible incentive for Mr Rutte to do his utmost to hold together his coalition until its term ended in 2025.
Elections to the lower house of the Dutch parliament are set to take place later this year.
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Mark Rutte was the Netherlands’ longest serving premier, holding the position since 2010.