Dutch PM Mark Rutte's govt collapses amidst migration crisis

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's coalition government collapsed on Friday, resulting from a bitter disagreement over migration policies. 

The dispute has led to calls for swift elections from opposition parties. Rutte, who has been the Netherlands' longest-serving leader, chaired crisis talks among the four coalition parties, but they were unable to find a resolution. 

"It's very disappointing, but we are all adults here," said Micky Adriaansens, the economy and climate minister from Rutte's party, as the talks came to an end.

The coalition government, which took office in January 2022 after lengthy negotiations, has been plagued by disagreements, particularly regarding the influx of migrants. Rutte, the leader of the centre-right VVD party, aimed to tighten restrictions on family reunification for asylum seekers. 

The decision came in the wake of a scandal last year involving overcrowded migration centres in the Netherlands.

However, the Christian Union party, a junior coalition partner, strongly opposed Rutte's plan to cap the number of relatives of war refugees allowed into the country at 200 per month. Despite efforts to reach a compromise, a deal could not be reached, leading to the collapse of the government.

"I'm quite concerned. I'm worried what the next cabinet is going to look like," expressed Marijn Philippo, a 19-year-old IT worker who had gathered outside the government buildings in The Hague.

The Netherlands is now headed for elections, likely to take place in the autumn. Rutte has faced pressure on the migration issue due to the rise of far-right parties in the country, including that of anti-Islam leader Geert Wilders. Previous elections have been turbulent, and the recent success of an upstart party advocating against the government's EU-backed environmental regulations adds further unpredictability to the upcoming campaign.

Rutte's political career has seen him skillfully navigate his way through four successive coalition governments, but this collapse marks another close call. His previous government resigned en masse in 2021 due to a scandal involving child benefits, primarily affecting ethnic minority families. In 2017, Rutte faced criticism for shifting to the right to prevent Wilders from gaining power during a time when populist parties gained momentum globally.