Conservative government unveils drastic asylum measures

The influence of the far right is making itself felt. The Dutch government published plans on Friday 13 September for drastic restrictions on asylum. The ruling coalition in the Netherlands, including the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV), wants to start a process to declare a “asylum crisis”allowing it to deviate from certain laws.

Among these, the repeal of a “distribution law” – which requires municipalities to create reception places for asylum seekers – or a tightening of the rules on family reunification. The Hague also intends to inform the European Union “as soon as possible” want an opt-out option from European asylum and migration regulations.

The plans of Prime Minister Dick Schoof’s government were drawn up after heated discussions within the coalition of the PVV, the pro-farmer BBB party, the liberal VVD party and a new anti-corruption NSC party, which was sworn in in July. Far-right leader Geert Wilders had promised in March the policy “the strictest” that the Netherlands has ever known in terms of asylum.