Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders toppled the ruling coalition on Tuesday, gambling that a snap election focused on immigration will bring victory at the polls—and secure his decades-long ambition of holding the highest political office.
The Netherlands plunged into political turmoil on Tuesday after Wilders withdrew his Freedom Party (PVV) from the ruling coalition. Formed in 2024 between Wilders’ PVV, the VVD, the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB), and the centrist New Social Contract (NSC) it was hailed as a bold right-wing experiment. But its unity was fragile from the start. The move forced Prime Minister Dick Schoof to announce his resignation, triggering the collapse of the government just weeks before the NATO summit in The Hague.
Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders gestures on the day of his decision to leave the governing coalition, in The Hague, Netherlands, June 3, 2025. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
In a late-May press conference, Wilders stated, “The gloves are off,” demanding immediate adoption of his 10-point plan.
Earlier this week, he warned: “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.”
By Tuesday, that warning became reality.
Anti-Immigration at its Core
“I proposed a plan to close the borders for asylum seekers, to send them away, to shut asylum shelters,” Wilders told reporters in The Hague on Tuesday. “I demanded coalition partners sign up to that, which they didn’t. That left me no choice but to withdraw my support for this government. I signed up for the strictest asylum policies, not for the demise of the Netherlands.”
At the heart of the breakdown was Wilders’ insistence on a radical 10-point asylum reform plan, which included: closing Dutch borders to all asylum seekers, sending back Syrian refugees, shutting down asylum shelters, expelling migrants convicted of serious crimes (one strike you’re out), halting family reunification rights, boosting border controls, and returning rejected asylum seekers.
The coalition’s published government pact had already proposed seeking an EU opt-out on migration, with Wilders insisting that the proposals were necessary to make the Netherlands less attractive to migrants. “People in Africa and the Middle East will start thinking they might be better off elsewhere,” he said.
The now-defunct coalition had also pledged to tighten labor migration rules. Entry requirements for foreign students at Dutch universities were set to become more restrictive, while workers from outside the European Union without specialized skills would be required to obtain work permits. Recruitment agencies faced plans for tougher oversight, and the coalition had intended to curb future free movement by limiting access for citizens of any countries newly joining the EU.
Political Veteran, Controversial Figure
Since entering parliament in 1998, Wilders has courted controversy with incendiary remarks and proposals—including calling Islam a ‘fascist ideology,’ pushing for a ban on the Qur’an, headscarves, and mosques, and released the 2008 film Fitna, which outraged Muslim-majority countries.
Dutch far-right politician and leader of the PVV party, Geert Wilders looks on as holds a glass following the exit poll and early results in the Dutch parliamentary elections, in The Hague, Netherlands November 22, 2023. REUTERS/Yves Herman
He was convicted of discrimination in 2016 for calling for “fewer Moroccans” at a campaign rally and has faced travel bans and death threats as a result of his views.
Yet his messaging has resonated with voters frustrated over housing shortages, healthcare strain, and rising costs—problems Wilders often ties to immigration.
Dutch Context and European Consequences
His most extreme proposals, such as closing borders and deporting Syrians, not only risk violating EU obligations but also run counter to the Netherlands’ post–World War II tradition of offering refuge to those fleeing conflict.
Still, the far-right surge is not isolated. Across Europe, nationalist and anti-immigration parties are gaining traction. Wilders is now betting that immigration will again rally Dutch voters to his side.
What’s Next?
Wilders said he would now lead PVV into the next election, expressing renewed hopes of becoming prime minster. His party won the November 2023 general election with a suprise 23% of the vote- its strongest result to date-but agreed to a power-sharing arrangement that placed technocrat Dick Schoof, a former intelligence chief, at the head of the cabinet.
Opinion polls currently place Wilders’ PVV at around 20%—down slightly from its 2023 high, and now roughly tied with the Labour/Green alliance. His sudden move has drawn both praise from anti-immigration voters and criticism from across the political spectrum for undermining government stability.
“He chooses his ego and his own interests,” said Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, leader of the VVD.
