Netherlands Government Collapses After Far Right Withdraws

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Far right leader Geert Wilders unexpectedly withdrew from the governing coalition in the Netherlands, causing the government to collapse after less than a year.

Wilders walked out over not getting his way on ten demands to stifle asylum applications. His far right anti-immigration PVV party was the largest in the uneasy governing coalition. He told reporters he intends to become Prime Minister “and ensure that the PVV becomes bigger than ever in the next elections.”

Prime Minister Dick Schoof stepped down and offered the cabinet’s resignation to King Willem-Alexander. NATO is due to hold a summit in the Hague at the end of this month. Schoof’s ministers will try to stay as caretakers until an election is set, which may be as late as autumn.

Far right and Green-Left parties are tied in polling. Migration and cost of living are the issues driving political volatility.

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