New Dutch coalition govt wants ‘strictest’ asylum policy

THE HAGUE: The newly agreed Dutch coalition government on Thursday proposed what it called the “strictest ever” asylum policy, including an opt-out from European Union rules, and vowed to examine moving its Israel embassy to Jerusalem.

The 26-page coalition agreement emerged early on Thursday after six months of gruelling talks between four parties following the stunning election victory of far-right leader Geert Wilders.

“Anyone who reads the report can see that a lot of things are going to change in the Netherlands,” Wilders told reporters as the agreement was officially presented.

He said it was a “historic” day that his far-right PVV Freedom Party was now in government -- “at the centre of power.”

“We are writing history today... the sun is going to shine again in the Netherlands,” said Wilders.

The agreement said that “concrete steps will be taken towards the strictest ever entry rules for asylum and the most comprehensive ever package to control migration.”

The parties said they would file a request to the European Commission for an opt-out on European asylum policy “as soon as possible.”

People without a valid residence permit will be deported “by force if necessary,” said the report, which is titled “hope, courage and pride.”

On foreign policy, the parties commit to keeping the Netherlands as a “constructive partner” in the European Union and support Ukraine “politically, militarily, financially, and morally.”

More controversially, the agreement calls to examine the idea of moving the Dutch embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.