On June 3, 2025, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof resigned after Geert Wilders’ far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) withdrew from the ruling coalition over disputes regarding its stringent asylum proposals. The PVV’s exit, announced by Wilders on X, stemmed from the coalition’s refusal to back his 10-point plan to curb immigration, which included halting asylum and pausing family reunification for refugees. “I promised the voter the strictest asylum policy ever,” Wilders stated, citing similar measures in Austria, Germany, and Belgium.
Political Crisis Unfolds
The PVV’s 2023 election victory had ousted former PM Mark Rutte’s party, but a four-party coalition appointed Schoof, a former intelligence chief, as prime minister. Tensions over immigration, which previously collapsed Rutte’s government in 2023, resurfaced when Wilders warned on Sunday that the PVV would leave unless its asylum plan was adopted. The coalition’s rejection prompted the PVV’s departure, triggering Schoof’s resignation.
Coalition leaders criticized Wilders’ move. Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy called it “irresponsible,” accusing him of prioritizing personal interests. Caroline van der Plas of the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB) labeled the exit “reckless,” warning of an 18-month government standstill and a potential shift to lenient asylum policies under left-leaning parties. Opposition parties, including the Socialist Party’s Jimmy Dijk, demanded immediate elections for “political change.”
Economic and Geopolitical Context
Despite 4.1% inflation in April, the Dutch economy is projected to grow 1.5% in 2025 and 2026, per the Dutch central bank. However, rising geopolitical tensions could hinder progress. The coalition’s collapse deepens uncertainty, with elections likely to reshape the Netherlands’ political landscape.
Source: CNBC
