Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte resigns

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced the resignation of the government, after the coalition failed to agree on a tougher policy towards asylum seekers in the country. About it writes Netherlands Broadcasting Corporation (NOS).

“Tonight we, unfortunately, came to the conclusion that the differences are insurmountable. For this reason, I will soon present my resignation to the king on behalf of the entire government,” Rutte said at a press conference (quote by RIA Novosti).

The publication clarifies that Rutte has already handed over a written petition to King Willem-Alexander, and from that moment on, his cabinet is considered to have resigned. The meeting between the Prime Minister and the King will take place on July 8, as the monarch is on vacation. On the evening of July 7, Rutte officially proposed in writing that the ministers and state secretaries resign. The House of Representatives will hold a meeting and debate on July 9 in connection with the incident.

According to the Electoral Council of the Netherlands, elections can take place no earlier than November – they can legally be held in 90 days, but they also need time to organize polling stations, etc.

NOS specifies that this is the third Rutte-led government to resign early. According to the publication, the issue of family reunification of asylum seekers in the Netherlands has become a controversial issue. The prime minister’s party, the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), has pushed for limits on the number of people who can enter the country for an asylum seeker under the family reunification program. The coalition also considered the issue of dividing applicants into two categories – those who are personally in danger and those who are fleeing, for example, from war, and restricting entry for the second group.