THE HAGUE — The Dutch government has collapsed after Geert Wilders’ far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) pulled out of the ruling coalition over a bitter row on asylum policy.
Speaking to reporters early Tuesday, Wilders said he could no longer support Prime Minister Dick Schoof’s administration.
“I signed up for the strictest asylum policy, not for the downfall of the Netherlands,” Wilders declared. “Our responsibility for this cabinet therefore ends here.”
With Wilders’ PVV walking away, the government is left with only 51 seats out of 150 in the lower house—far short of the majority needed to govern.
Prime Minister Schoof, who has stayed silent since the announcement, now faces growing pressure from opposition parties to call immediate elections.
A Coalition Built on Fragile Grounds
The coalition, which came together after long negotiations following the November 2023 elections, was the most right-wing in Dutch history. Wilders’ PVV won the largest number of seats, but to get other parties on board, a deal was struck that kept him out of the cabinet.
Even so, his influence loomed large—especially on immigration.
“The PVV promised voters the strictest asylum policy ever, aiming to make it the strictest in all of Europe,” Wilders said on Tuesday. “We proposed a plan to close the borders, stop new asylum centres, and shut the ones already open.”
But his demands hit a wall. The coalition partners refused to go as far as Wilders wanted, prompting him to pull the plug.
Political Fallout and Uncertain Future
The political fallout is swift and uncertain. The Dutch parliament is fractured, with no single party ever commanding an outright majority.
Recent polls suggest the PVV would still emerge as the largest party if elections were held now, but it would lose some seats. Both centre-left and centre-right parties are predicted to gain.
“Dutch politics is like a puzzle,” said political analyst Fleur van der Zanden. “Even if Wilders wins again, it doesn’t mean he’ll be able to govern.”
Wilders, known for his fiery anti-Islam and anti-immigrant stance, has long courted controversy. In 2016, he was found guilty of discrimination after telling supporters he wanted “fewer Moroccans” in the Netherlands. His party has also called for banning Islamic schools, mosques, and the Quran.
Still, many Dutch voters have backed him, drawn to his blunt talk and promises to cut immigration.
This latest political crisis adds to the growing list of European countries struggling to manage the pressures of immigration, coalition politics, and far-right populism.
The Dutch government now stands on shaky ground, with no clear path forward. Whether new elections will break the deadlock—or deepen the divide—remains to be seen.
