THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Far-right lawmaker Geert Wilders pulled his party out of the ruling four-party Dutch coalition Tuesday in dispute over a crackdown on migration, sparking a political crisis and possibly the end of the 11-month-old government of Prime Minister Dick Schoof.
Wilders announced his decision in a message on X after a brief meeting in parliament of leaders of the four parties that make up the fractious administration.
The government crisis comes just three weeks before the Netherlands is scheduled to host a summit of NATO leaders in The Hague.
Wilders told reporters that he was withdrawing his support for the coalition and pulling his ministers out of the Cabinet.
“I signed up for the toughest asylum policy and not the downfall of the Netherlands,” Wilders said.
Dilan Yesilgöz, leader of the right-wing People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, said before the meeting that Schoof urged the leaders to act responsibly.
“The prime minister who appealed to us this morning said that we are facing enormous international challenges, we have a war on our continent, an economic crisis may be coming our way,” Yesilgöz told reporters in parliament.
But just minutes later, the meeting was over and so was Wilders’ involvement in the government.
“I’m shocked,” Yesilgöz said, calling Wilders’ decision “super-irresponsible.”
After years in opposition, Wilders’ party won the last election on pledges to slash migration. He has grown increasingly frustrated at what he sees as the slow pace of the coalition’s efforts to implement his plans.
Last week, Wilders demanded coalition partners sign on to a 10-point plan that aims to radically slash migration, including using the army to guard land borders and turning away all asylum-seekers. He said at the time that if immigration policy is not toughened up, his party “is out of the Cabinet.”
He made good on that pledge Tuesday.
Caroline van der Plas, leader of the pro-agriculture populist Farmers Citizens Movement, said she was angry at Wilders’ decision.
“He is not putting the Netherlands first, he is putting Geert Wilders first,” she told Dutch broadcaster NOS.
