OPEN LETTER/ Come to the dialogue and listen to me speak, otherwise I will cut off your scholarships, you will rot in prison. Please!

 Kliko këtu për të tjera
Voxpress:

What you need to know about the Dutch crisis: What happens now that Mark Rutte's government has fallen?

2023-07-09 15:15:30Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
What you need to know about the Dutch crisis: What happens now that Mark
What happens now that Mark Rutte's government has fallen

After only a year and a half in power, the coalition government in the Netherlands, led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte, has fallen apart over migration issues, triggering early elections with an uncertain outcome for the country and Europe.

The origin of the decline

The Netherlands, like many other countries in Europe, is seeking to reduce its immigration and the issue has quickly soured relations between the four parties in power since January 2022: the VVD (center-right) and Mark Rutte, its "cousin" ideological wing of the CDA, D66 (center-left) and the Christian-democratic party "ChristenUnie".

Last year, the country was engulfed by a major scandal caused by the overcrowding of migrant reception centers, which forced hundreds of them to sleep on the streets, and the death of a three-month-old baby in one of these facilities in August 2022.

Mark Rutte had promised to act to end a "shameful situation".

During the past week and according to local media, the prime minister has caused astonishment by suddenly calling to limit the number of war refugees admitted to the country to 200 each month, a plan that has irritated the "ChristenUnie" and D66.

Many have questioned why the prime minister took the risk of attacking his coalition in this way, with the most likely answer appearing to be related to tensions in his party over immigration.

The following events

The Dutch Electoral Commission has indicated that the next election could be held earlier in November, especially because of the summer holidays and the need to give parties time to campaign.

This will be the second general election in two years in the country, governed by a complex multi-party system that often produces unstable coalitions.

The last vote in April 2021 was followed by 271 days of negotiations, a record duration, and led to the coming to power in January 2022 of the current coalition government, the fourth led by Mark Rutte since 2010.

Winners and losers

All eyes are on the nascent Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB), which has built on farmer-led protest against plans to reduce herd sizes to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

This party, which appeared out of nowhere four years ago, won the majority of seats in this year's senatorial elections and its leader Caroline van der Plas said on Friday that she was ready to "start the battle".

The far right of Islamophobic politician Geert Wilders and his Freedom Party (PVV) has long been a strong political force in the country, but its results have been declining since 2021.

According to the media, the big losers of the upcoming elections could be the CDA of the foreign minister, Wopke Hoekstra, and the D66 of his finance counterpart, Sigrid Kaag.

A fifth term for Rutten?

Mark Rutte's political survival skills earned him the nickname "Mark Teflon", with scandals sliding over him like a non-stick pan.

However, this time he may face a "problem" summed up by Dutch media RTL: "Who still wants to govern with Rutten?"

His partners criticized him and the leader of the Farmers Party vowed that she would never enter a coalition with him.

If the BBB collects enough votes to claim a place in a coalition, Mark Rutte's VVD could be tempted to filter it out in order to put another of its members at the head of the government.

An impact for Europe?

The Netherlands can serve as a wake-up call for other European countries.

The European Union has been torn apart by the prospect of thousands of migrants wanting to arrive on the continent, against a backdrop of the rise of nationalist parties.

The extreme right is already in power in Italy and could also be the big winner in the upcoming elections in Spain.


Në përputhje me standarded JTI

Video

SHIKO KANALIN NE YOUTUBE
×