The new Dutch government will seek to “opt out” of EU asylum rules

Author: Bart H. Meijer

AMSTERDAM (Reuters): The incoming Dutch government led by Geert Wilders’ nationalist PVV party will seek to restrict immigration by scrapping European Union migration rules, setting up a clash with Brussels before taking office.

Wilders won the election almost six months ago and on Wednesday reached an agreement to form a coalition with three right-wing partners. He has not yet proposed his choice for prime minister, but he has ruled himself out.

In its government plan published on Thursday morning, the four-party coalition says it will seek to introduce the “toughest ever asylum system” with stronger border controls and tougher rules for asylum seekers arriving in the Netherlands.

“The opt-out clause on European asylum and migration policy will be submitted to the European Commission as soon as possible,” the coalition states in its pact.

Wilders said the plan would make the Netherlands less attractive to asylum seekers, adding that “people in Africa and the Middle East will start to think they would be better off elsewhere.”

The Netherlands would join the previous nationalist governments of Hungary and Poland in challenging the EU’s migration policies. Brussels is likely to resist because EU countries have already agreed their migration pact and opt-outs are usually discussed at the negotiation stage.

“We have a new pact on migration and asylum that has been voted and confirmed and therefore must be applied,” European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said at a press conference in Brussels.

“This legislation will be applied and the Commission will play its role to make this happen.”

Dutch coalition parties said labor migration would also be restricted and admission of foreign students to Dutch universities would become more stringent.

Non-EU workers who do not have specific knowledge or experience will need a work permit, and recruitment agencies will have to be subject to stricter rules. The coalition says it will also seek to restrict the free movement of people from countries joining the EU in the future.

Technology industry association FME, which represents companies including semiconductor powerhouse ASML, expressed concerns that such measures would make it more difficult for tech companies to hire.

On climate change, the coalition said it would stick to internationally agreed targets but would not add any national limits on planet-warming emissions.

Offshore gas production in the North Sea will be increased and the government will press ahead with plans to build four nuclear reactors in the coming decade.

The new government also plans spending cuts of 14 billion euros ($15.22 billion) by 2028, including cuts of 2.5 billion euros in development aid, 1 billion euros in government salaries and 100 million euros in the public broadcaster’s budget.

The Netherlands will maintain political and military support for Ukraine and make it legally binding to spend at least 2% of Dutch gross domestic product on defense, in line with NATO agreements, it said.

THE ROLE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

The agreement combines Wilders’ PVV with outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s center-right VVD, the new NSC party and the BBB farmers’ protest party into a coalition that will have a clear majority of 88 seats in the 150-seat lower house.

With a broad agreement reached, the independent intermediary will now be tasked with forming a cabinet of ministers, a process expected to take at least another month.

Wilders, known for his open views on Islam, announced in March that he would resign from the role of prime minister in order to bring potential government partners to the negotiating table. He has not yet announced who he will nominate for the top position.

($1 = 0.9201 euro)

(Reporting by Bart Meijer, Toby Sterling and Anthony Deutsch Editing by Sonali Paul, Ros Russell and Frances Kerry)