Dutch opposition parties happy with the fall of the Cabinet

Opposition parties in the Netherlands were pleased with the fall of the Rutte IV Cabinet. BBB frontwoman Caroline van der Plas tweeted a photo of herself smiling asking others to show the face they made when they heard the news.

"Goodbye Rutte, Kaag and the rest!" writes PVV leader Geert Wilders. He said he has requested a parliamentary debate.

PvdD leader Esther Ouwehand hopes for "the definitive end of the Rutte era.” She said, "Unprecedented that the prime minister created a new crisis in an attempt to save his own skin."

Laurens Dassen van Volt shared a photo of a broken vase, referring to a metaphor by Mark Rutte who compared the Netherlands to a vase that has to be held together. He mentions "cynical party politics.”

Joost Eerdmans shared a message from his party, JA21. "This can't go on like this. JA21 is ready for new elections!"

Wybren van Haga wrote, "Finally!" He is looking forward to new elections in which he wants to participate with his new party, BVNL.

According to the Forum voor Democratie, the clCabinet fell "as a result of a political game", because "when push comes to shove, all cartel parties stand for the same policy: more immigration, more climate and more EU".

"Good news for the Netherlands! Rutte is finally leaving. More problems have been created than solved," says SP member Lilian Marijnissen. She is already looking forward to the kick-off of the campaign in mid-September.

Attje Kuiken (PvdA) also thinks it is time to say goodbye to Rutte. "If you make such a mess of it, then it's better that you leave."

The fall was "inevitable", says GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver. According to him, the coalition parties "have not been able to get over their own political self-interest for two years now". As far as Klaver is concerned, his party will enter the parliamentary elections this fall with the PvdA with a joint list.

SGP member Kees van der Staaij also finds it "no surprise,” saying, "When the coalition agreement was put up for discussion a few months ago, it became visible that the cement of the coalition was crumbling. That problem did not get smaller, but rather broader."

Farid Azarkan of DENK calls it "very sad" that the Cabinet fell over asylum issues. "But Rutte will not be Rutte if he does not see his opportunities." He fears "a cabinet where the xenophobic Netherlands can lick its fingers".

Liane den Haan, independent member of parliament, calls the fall of the Cabinet "too sad for words".