D66’s Jetten pushes major asylum reform, calls current system ‘broken’
D66 leader Rob Jetten has called for a sweeping overhaul of the Dutch asylum system, urging middle-ground political parties to adopt a “Canadian model” that would move asylum applications outside EU borders and deny entry to those who arrive independently in the Netherlands, according to AD.
In a significant shift from D66’s earlier stance, Jetten said international treaties, including the 1951 Refugee Convention, should be revised to reflect new realities. “The current migration system is broken,” he said. “We must shift from migration that happens to us, to migration we control — not only for Dutch citizens concerned about high inflow, but also for people fleeing violence and persecution.”
Under Jetten’s proposal, the Netherlands would adopt an approach similar to Canada’s, in which asylum seekers apply from outside the country and are admitted only by invitation. He said such a system would help cut off dangerous smuggling routes and save lives. “Refugees shouldn’t have to risk their lives in rickety, overcrowded boats,” Jetten said.
Jetten said the idea of changing international treaties had long been taboo within D66, but internal debate has led to a consensus that change is necessary. “Everyone I speak to within D66 finds this step daunting but necessary. We cannot continue on the current path.”
Currently, some resettlement already takes place through the UN refugee agency UNHCR, but Jetten wants this significantly expanded. The new model would allow pre-screening of asylum applicants and rejection of those with no chance of approval before they reach Dutch soil. Vulnerable groups such as families with children — “often the most at-risk refugees,” Jetten said — would be prioritized and spared dangerous journeys.
However, Jetten stressed that the proposed changes would take time. In the interim, he called for tougher rules against asylum seekers who cause disturbances, especially those from so-called “safe countries” who have little or no chance of being granted asylum. “Thugs who cause endless trouble and have no business being here should be sent to closed shelters,” he said. “You are entering a country with liberal values. If you don’t respect those values, you should also lose certain rights.”
Jetten also emphasized the need to better support asylum seekers who are granted residency. “From day one, they should be required to take language classes and be helped to find work as quickly as possible,” he said. “We’ll need to tear down some unnecessary regulations for that — we’ll be introducing a bill soon.”
He warned that keeping people on welfare indefinitely is damaging to both them and the broader society. “That’s bad for their self-worth — most of them want to do something. And it breeds frustration among Dutch people who think: what’s the point?”
Jetten concluded by urging centrist parties to lead the debate rather than leave it to political extremes. “It’s time to take a step forward and stop circling around the same old arguments,” he said.
