Last year, hundreds of asylum-seekers were forced to sleep outdoors in squalid conditions near an overcrowded reception centre as the number of people arriving in the Netherlands outstripped the available beds. Dutch aid agencies provided assistance.
What does this mean practically? Do the Netherlands not have a government until they hold a new election?
The “collapse” of the government in a parliamentary system means the government no longer commands the confidence of a majority of the (typically) lower house, in this case the House of Representatives. Nothing immediate happens, although the prime minister may (or may not) resign, a “caretaker” government takes over until a new elections are held.
Here, it sounds like one of the four coalition parties has pulled out due to disagreeemnt over immigration, which the coalition parties had never agreed on.
No, but that’s pretty common for them, they spent 2021 without a government because of this same guy: https://www.dw.com/en/netherlands-dutch-parties-to-form-government-9-months-after-vote/a-60109396
He did it in 2017 too.
Dutch McConnell.
Can confirm, am dutch. I’m not even surprised anymore whenever this happens. Our government is a mess.