Dutch gov't considering curfew in fight against Covid: report

The Dutch government is working on introducing a curfew, RTL Nieuws reports based on sources who saw the cabinet's draft plans. A curfew will prevent people from visiting each other in the evening, which can help prevent new coronavirus infections - a main goal, especially with the highly contagious B117 strain popping up in the Netherlands.

"Curfew is now an option, because other options have run out," one of the people involved told the broadcaster. Ministers discussed the possible introduction of a curfew while meeting at the Catshuis, Prime Minister Mark Rutte's residence in The Hague, on Sunday, the sources said.

Curfew is a controversial measure in the Netherlands. Other European countries have already made use of the measure, but in the Netherlands, the cabinet always considered it a too far-reaching measure.

This time around, there is also resistance to a curfew - from a number of Ministers and some of the coalition parties, but especially from mayors, according to RTL. There was a lot of protest in the weekly meeting of the Security Council, which consists of the mayors that head the country's 25 security regions, on Monday, the broadcaster's sources said. A curfew was called the fatal blow to society. "You cannot ask this of people," one person involved said to the broadcaster.

Given the resistance, it is unlikely whether Rutte will announce a curfew during his coronavirus press conference this evening. The expectation is that the matter will be presented to parliament, do decide whether or not enough support can be gained for the measure.