The collapse of Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s Dutch government highlights how the issue of immigration has become an important dynamic of European politics. Mr Rutte, in power for 13 years, resigned after failing to win the support of his coalition partners for a proposed refugee policy. According to reports, it had two levels – a temporary one for those fleeing conflicts and a permanent one for those fleeing persecution – and a two-year deadline for children of recognized refugees living in the Netherlands to rejoin their parents. waiting period. Mr Rutte’s centre-right People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy coalition partners supported the two-tier system but opposed a two-year waiting period. Mr Rutte, who chose to step down (and quit politics) rather than offer them a settlement, was known as “Teflon Mark” for his survival skills. With an influential presence in politics, he has transformed the Netherlands, a prosperous northern European country with a population of 17.5 million, into a prominent voice on the continent. But soon his administration was overshadowed by controversies, which affected his popularity. Public anger was sparked by tax officials going after poor families for child care benefits, while farmers were upset by his pressure to reduce emissions. The refugee policy was the last straw.
Like most of Europe, the Netherlands has seen an influx of migrants. In 2022, more than 21,000 people sought asylum from outside the EU, while the total migration figure for the year was 400,000. Immigration has put pressure on housing capacity in the Netherlands at a time when the continent is grappling with a cost-of-living crisis, and has been made worse by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions on Moscow. In many European countries, far-right and conservative parties with tough anti-immigrant policies are making political gains. In France, Marine Le Pen placed second to Emmanuel Macron in the 2022 presidential election. In Italy, a party with neo-fascist origins is in power. In Greece, the conservative government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis has adopted brutal anti-migrant policies, with immigrants being sent back to Turkey. Mr Rutte was trying to ride this wave of anti-immigrant politics with his refugee policies. But a political program that focuses only on immigrants will deepen the Netherlands’ social rifts. The political class of the country and Europe in general must come up with a proper migration architecture to regulate the asylum seekers. But they should also focus on reducing the cost of living and the housing crisis, and addressing growing inequality and other economic challenges, which may help those on the far right to blame immigrants for the economic problems facing the country. have been