Dutch Government Collapses as Geert Wilders Withdraws Support Over Immigration Dispute
- Victor Nwoko
- Jun 4
- 3 min read
The Dutch government has collapsed following the withdrawal of support from far-right politician Geert Wilders, triggering the likelihood of a snap election later this year. Wilders, leader of the anti-Islam Freedom Party (PVV), announced his departure from the ruling coalition, accusing his political partners of failing to back his aggressive immigration crackdown proposals.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof, an independent who was appointed to lead the coalition government after Wilders agreed not to take the top post himself, condemned the move as reckless. Schoof submitted his resignation to King Willem-Alexander after an emergency cabinet meeting, while PVV ministers announced their resignation from the cabinet. The remaining coalition members will now operate as a caretaker government, with elections expected no earlier than October.
Wilders stated that the coalition’s refusal to support his 10-point plan to halt asylum intake and shut down asylum shelters left him no choice. “I proposed a plan to close the borders for asylum seekers, to send them away, to shut asylum shelters. I demanded coalition partners sign up to that, which they didn’t. That left me no choice but to withdraw my support for this government,” he said. “I signed up for the strictest asylum policies, not for the demise of the Netherlands.”
Schoof, speaking after the cabinet's emergency session, emphasized the timing of the collapse, highlighting national and international crises demanding stability. “We are facing major challenges both nationally and internationally that require decisiveness from us,” he said.
The collapse of the government could stall decisions on key issues such as increased defense spending and diplomatic commitments. The Netherlands is set to host a NATO summit this month, but will now do so under a caretaker administration.
The political fallout centers around Wilders’ hardline immigration agenda, which includes proposals to expel Syrian refugees, close borders to asylum seekers, shut shelters, deport migrants convicted of serious crimes, and tighten border controls. Wilders, who won a surprising 23% of the vote in the November 2023 election, said he would lead the PVV into the next election and hoped to become prime minister.
Despite leading the most recent election, Wilders was not part of the cabinet and agreed to support the coalition from parliament in exchange for appointing Schoof as prime minister. The move was necessary to broker a fragile coalition with three other right-leaning parties.
Political analysts believe the upcoming election could serve as a de facto referendum on immigration. “The PVV must have calculated that the next election would be seen as a referendum on immigration policy, because they know they would win that,” said Simon Otjes, assistant professor in Dutch politics at Leiden University.
Polls currently place PVV support around 20%, in close competition with the Labour-Green alliance, the second-largest faction in parliament. Political scientist Joep van Lit of Radboud University estimated a new election could take place in late October or November, warning that government formation may again take months due to the fragmented political environment.
The public remains divided. In Amsterdam, local resident Michelle ten Berge expressed hope for a more moderate government, while in The Hague, florist Ron van den Hoogenband predicted Wilders would emerge stronger, “so he can do like Trump is doing and other European countries where the extreme right is taking over.”
The previous Dutch administration under Mark Rutte, now NATO Secretary-General, also collapsed due to internal conflict over immigration policy, underlining the issue’s central role in destabilizing Dutch politics.
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