Liveblog
10 minutes ago
Wilders has just arrived at the weekly coalition meeting.
15 minutes ago
Coalition hanging by a threadWilders has already indicated that if his coalition partners do not agree to a majority of his asylum wishes, as far as the PVV is concerned, it is over. Yet yesterday he did not want to anticipate a possible fall of the cabinet. VVD, NSC and BBB called it “unwise” yesterday prior to the meeting to let a cabinet fall on this subject. Currently, there are also many other major issues in The Hague, where the NATO summit will be held in a few weeks.
One thing Wilders has already achieved: putting migration on the political agenda, the most important subject for his party.
24 minutes ago
The meeting starts at 9:00 AM in Wilders’ room. The coalition leaders normally meet every Tuesday morning. That weekly meeting comes in handy now.
27 minutes ago
27 minutes ago
Why has a crisis atmosphere arisen now?Initially, VVD, NSC and BBB reacted nonchalantly to Wilders’ demands. He had often threatened to bring down the cabinet, but that never happened. They did indicate that they were willing to talk to Wilders, although they did not want to call it negotiations.
That conversation took place yesterday and did not go at all according to Wilders’ wishes. VVD, NSC and BBB came out quite unanimously after an hour: if Wilders wants extra measures, he has to work them out and submit them himself. Wilders would have preferred to have a signature from his coalition partners immediately, but according to the PVV member, it does not look like that is going to happen. “Then we have a serious problem. It doesn’t look good.”
30 minutes ago
What does Wilders want?A brief look back at last week, because more than a week ago Wilders presented his plan that has now put the coalition under considerable pressure. With a so-called ten-point plan, Wilders demanded more measures in the field of asylum, although ‘his’ party with minister Marjolein Faber has the reins in its own hands. Yet it is not going fast enough, and so Wilders wants to quickly take extra measures with the help of his coalition partners.
It concerns, for example, closing the borders, a temporary stop on family reunification and sending people with a residence permit out of asylum centers. Some of these measures are legally shaky.