Cabinet crisis: Wilders not optimistic after latest asylum talks with coalition

The odds of the coalition government holding together seem slim at the moment, said Geert Wilders after a discussion about the latest demands on asylum policy he presented last month. The leader of the far-right PVV party, which is the largest of the four parties in the coalition, spoke with reporters after talks with other coalition leaders on Monday evening.

"It wasn't a pleasant conversation." Afterwards he repeated his demands, which drew criticism from coalition parties VVD, NSC and BBB, for not including any clear policy. The Cabinet's asylum and migration minister, Marjolein Faber, is also in the PVV. The ball is already in her court, said VVD leader Dilan Yesilgöz, who previously criticized Faber's lack of haste in developing actionable policy.

"I think things have to happen now, that they have to happen quickly," said Wilders, calling on the immediate support from coalition leaders. "Ultimately I haven't seen a signature yet and it doesn't look like they're going to sign on to this. And then we'll have a serious problem." The coalition partners indicated Wilders is blustering unnecessarily, as the existing coalition agreement already addresses many of the topics Wilders has raised.

Last Monday, Wilders put forward ten demands regarding asylum, migration and immigration. He wants the Netherlands to be able to deport Dutch citizens with a second nationality when they are accused of committing a crime, he believes all asylum procedures should be stopped, there should be a temporarily halt to family reunification procedures, and he insisted on halting plans to develop any new asylum reception centers, which could relieve strain and overcrowding that has plagued the system.

He has repeatedly threatened to pull out of the coalition if his demands are not met within a few weeks. But Wilders should simply submit his demands as a measure to be voted on by his fellow parliamentarians in the Tweede Kamer, said Yeşilgöz and NSC leader Nicolien van Vroonhoven after meeting with Wilders in his office.

Wilders refuses to create his own bill and have it debated in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Parliament, which is also led by a PVV colleague. "If you want to be sure that a minister will get something, you have to make sure that it is included in the outline agreement. Then you know for sure that the factions are bound to it."

VVD, NSC and BBB believe the PVV should take action on Wilders' asylum demands, and they reiterated their earlier view of Wilders' plans, saying they will not work against the PVV. But Yesilgöz said threatening to bring down the Cabinet is not productive. BBB leader Caroline van der Plas agreed, pointing out some of the PVV leaders' ideas are already possible.

"The three of us have indicated that we will not form a blockade," Van der Plas stated.

"I don't know what to negotiate about," Yeşilgöz said before the meeting began, reiterating that the PVV should "work it out." "If it means that you just want to drop everything, then you should say so," said Yeşilgöz. But she would find that unnecessary and "super irresponsible."

Van Vroonhoven also thinks Wilders already has all the room he needs to push a proposal forward. "The proper way and the best way is to do that via his own minister," Van Vroonhoven said earlier in the evening. She also was disappointed that Wilders would attempt to hold the coalition hostage over the matter.

"The Netherlands doesn't like deserters," said Van der Plas ahead of the talks. The parties will continue talks on Tuesday.