The Dutch government collapsed on Tuesday after Geert Wilders, leader of the Party for Freedom, withdrew his support from the coalition. The collapse was triggered by disagreements over asylum policies, specifically Wilders' demands to restrict asylum for individuals from "safe countries." This move effectively dissolved the coalition, potentially leading to general elections later this year.
Wilders insisted on suspending all asylum applications, halting family reunifications, and expelling refugees with resident status who commit serious crimes. These demands were deemed to violate European Union law. Coalition partners blamed the immigration minister for ineffectiveness, while Wilders expressed confidence that new elections would grant his party a larger share of votes.