The Dutch government collapsed on Tuesday following a major rift over immigration proposals that led far-right leader Geert Wilders to withdraw his party from the ruling coalition.

Wilders announced the move on social media, stating that his Party for Freedom (PVV) would no longer support the coalition due to its lack of backing for his controversial asylum reform plan.

The PVV won a sweeping victory in the 2023 Dutch general elections, unseating the party of former Prime Minister Mark Rutte from its long-held top position. Despite that win, the country’s four major political parties ultimately agreed to appoint former intelligence chief Dick Schoof as prime minister in a bid to form a more centrist government.

Wilders had warned over the weekend that his party could leave the coalition if most elements of his ten-point asylum plan were not adopted. “Let me be clear,” he wrote on X. “If the majority of our asylum plan proposals are not included in the coalition agreement and implemented by the cabinet as soon as possible, the PVV will withdraw from this coalition.”

Last week, Wilders’ PVV unveiled the plan, which called for a dramatic reduction in migration. Proposals included a complete halt to asylum procedures and a temporary suspension of family reunification rights for refugees already granted asylum status.

A Divisive Break

Leaders of the other coalition parties sharply criticized Wilders’ move, accusing him of prioritizing political self-interest over national stability.

“He chooses his ego and his own interests,” said Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, leader of the center-right People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), Rutte’s former party, in an interview with Dutch media. “I’m shocked. He’s throwing away the chance for a right-wing government. This is extremely irresponsible.”

The Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB), another coalition partner, echoed the sentiment. In a statement, party leader Caroline van der Plas said Wilders had “pulled the plug” on the government. “Governing a country is something different from making threats on social media,” she remarked. “This is completely irresponsible, reckless, and incomprehensible for anyone who hoped for real change.”