No solution on asylum seekers; coalition talks into the night

The top of the coalition government met again around 21:30 on Wednesday night to discuss the reception of failed asylum seekers. This meeting happened after internal consultations in both the VVD and PvdA. The VVD and PvdA have opposing views when it comes to how failed asylum seekers should be given shelter in the Netherlands. But last night Deputy Prime Minister Lodewijk Asscher (PvdA) seemed positive that a solution is forthcoming as he entered Prime Minister Mark Rutte's (VVD) office, NU reports. "We're getting there, but I'm not sure if that will happen today still" Asscher told the present press. These meetings followed a critical report from the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR), which stated that the Netherlands is violating European Union rules on the reception of failed asylum seekers. But the EU rules do not clearly state that the Netherlands has to offer failed asylum seekers food, clothing and shelter. The PvdA believes that municipalities must offer failed asylum seekers bed, bath and bread. The VVD disagrees, believing that it would have a magnetic affect on asylum seekers. This issue resolves around the fate of asylum seekers that have not been granted a residence permit and are living in the Netherlands illegally. The exact number of failed asylum seekers currently in the Netherlands is unclear, but it is estimated to range between tens of thousands to 100 thousand people. So far no solution has been found.