Longest-serving Dutch PM Mark Rutte resigns after talks on migration fail, to update king on govt collapse

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is due to meetKing Willem-Alexander on Saturday (July 8) following hisresignation,late Friday, after 13 years in power as his coalition government failed to reach a consensus on migration policy. Citing 'irreconciable' differences on how to tackle the immigration problemas the reason, Rutte's shock resignation has set the stage for fresh elections later this year.

During theDutch PM'smeeting with the King, he is expected todiscuss a caretaker administration following the collapse of the centre-right government. However, sinceKing Willem-Alexander is the head of the state, he might askRutte's coalition to continue as acaretaker government until a new administration is formed after the elections.

"This evening we have unfortunately reached the conclusion that the differences are insurmountable. That is why I will immediately...offer the resignation of the entire cabinet to the king in writing," Rutte told reporters in The Hague.

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"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," he added.

Rutte is the leader ofthe conservative People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and has been the Dutch prime minister since 2010. However, his current tenure came to a grinding halt, just one and a half years after coming to power in January 2022.

Why did Rutte resign?

Notably, Rutte's VVD andChristian Democrat Appeal party (CDA) are all in for stricter measures on migration, but thecentre-left Democrats 66 (D66) and Christian Union (ChristenUnie) do not share the same vision.

Rutte wanted to tighten curbs on reuniting families of asylum seekers after a scandal last year about overcrowded asylum seekers. The conservative leader wanted to cap the number of war refugees allowed into the Netherlands to 200 per month. He threatened to walk away and topple the government if the four-party coalition did not pass his measures.

However, D66 and ChristenUnie remained staunchly opposed to the measures. To reach a breakthrough and save the shaky government, talks were held on Wednesday and Thursday but to no fruition.

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What next?

The scheduled elections were due to take place in 2025 but the developments on Friday mean the timeline could be pushed back.Rutte said he would lead a caretaker government until then that would focus on tasks including support for Ukraine.

The opposition leaders, however, have called for 'quick, snap' elections.Geert Wilders, leader of the anti-immigration Party for Freedom (PVV), took toTwitter and batted against Rutte leading the caretaker government.

After the election results were announced in 2021, it took almost nine months for the parties to find a functioning coalition.

Rutte's VVD emerged as the largest party but won less than 22 per centof the vote. Only two other parties had support above 10 per cent, while no fewer than17 groups won at least one seat in the House of Representatives. Thus, it looks highly unlikely that another coalition can come in and fill the void left by the collapse of the Rutte-led four-party arrangement.

(With inputs from agencies)

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