Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders has collapsed the country’s short-lived coalition government, announcing that his Freedom Party (PVV) will exit the cabinet over disagreements on immigration policy. Wilders, known for his Islamophobic and xenophobic rhetoric, demanded even stricter measures against migrants and asylum seekers, despite the government already tightening policies in late 2024.
“No backing for our asylum plans,” Wilders wrote on X on June 3. “PVV leaves the coalition.”
The PVV emerged as the leading political option in the 2023 election. After months of negotiations, it formed a coalition government with the centrist People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), the right-wing New Social Contract, and the Farmer-Citizen Movement. Following Wilders’ announcement, Prime Minister Dick Schoof submitted his resignation, triggering the need for a snap election later this year. Until then, Schoof and ministers from the remaining coalition parties will continue in a caretaker role.
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Former coalition partners criticized PVV’s move as irresponsible, while others described the collapse as further proof of the urgent need for a shift to address political instability and widespread discontent over declining living conditions. Years of neoliberal policies have left the Netherlands facing a housing crisis and rising living costs, challenges seen in countries across Europe. These problems have been weaponized by the far right, which has channeled popular discontent into anti-migrant sentiment and electoral gains.
Although Wilders has signaled he expects to become the next Prime Minister, current polls suggest a more complex picture. The PVV is running neck-and-neck with a joint platform of social-democrats and greens, while former coalition parties are trailing behind. It remains to be seen if Wilders can frame the upcoming election as a referendum on immigration, as some mainstream analysts predict, or whether more progressive groups can succeed in shifting the debate toward other priorities.
The collapse of the Dutch government adds to the broader pattern of far-right momentum across Europe. Just days earlier, Trump-backed Karol Nawrocki won the presidential election in Poland, and far-right parties continue to challenge centrist governments in countries such as Germany and France.
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Beyond the implications for migration and internal policy, this trend also impacts Europe’s position on Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Wilders, a staunch supporter of Israel, openly criticized his coalition partners for even considering revisions to the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Meanwhile, the Dutch public continues to mobilize in large numbers in solidarity with Palestinians, including a demonstration of 100,000 people in The Hague in mid-May.
As the country prepares for new elections, the Netherlands is also set to host international protests and debates against militarization later this month, coinciding with a NATO summit in The Hague. With the government now operating in a caretaker capacity, it remains to be seen whether it will join the anticipated surge in so-called defense spending within the military alliance.
