Dutch Government Collapses Over Disagreement on Stricter Immigration Policies
The Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV), led by Geert Wilders, left the ruling coalition on 3 June 2025, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Dick Schoof and the collapse of the coalition government. This departure has triggered snap general elections scheduled for 29 October 2025.
PVV, a far-right, right-wing populist party known for advocating stringent immigration controls, became the largest party in the House of Representatives in the 2023 election. After entering government for the first time in the Schoof cabinet, conflicts arose over Wilders' push to implement strict asylum measures.
Wilders has made opposition to immigration the centerpiece of his platform, framing the 2025 snap election as a decisive moment to stop what he describes as Europe's demographic and cultural collapse caused by mass immigration. He contends many migrants entering the Netherlands are not genuine refugees but illegal entrants and blames legal and political obstacles for preventing tougher border enforcement.
Since leaving the coalition, Wilders has actively campaigned by attending local protests against asylum seeker centers and urging municipalities to defy national immigration policies. These actions have been criticized for stirring division and interfering with local governance.
The coalition's departure has caused a political realignment, with the Labour Party and GroenLinks deciding to join forces for the upcoming election. Meanwhile, the coalition parties, People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), "New Social Contract" (NSC), and "Farmers'-Civilian Movement" (BBB), will continue their work.
This exit has not only caused the fall of the Dutch government but has intensified political polarization around immigration, with PVV doubling down on its far-right agenda amid rising public debate and party realignments ahead of the snap polls.
References:
- Der Telegraaf
- BBC News
- The Guardian
- Reuters
- The Dutch Party for Freedom (PVV), advocate for stringent immigration controls, is capitalizing on the political divide surrounding immigration after leaving the coalition, doubling down on its far-right agenda.
- Political polarization over immigration issues has intensified following the Dutch Party for Freedom's (PVV) departure from the ruling coalition, leading to a surge in general-news and crime-and-justice headlines.
- During the snap general elections scheduled for 29 October 2025, policy-and-legislation surrounding immigration is expected to be a primary point of contention, with the Labour Party and GroenLinks forming an alliance against the PVV's hardline stance.
