Exactly one year after the start of Rutte-4, the cabinet is looking into the difficult issue. Already at the end of last year, some ministers involved discussed migration, but now Prime Minister Rutte and Deputy Prime Minister Kaag are also joining us for the first time. According to one person involved, the consultation “is not a decision-making process”.
In addition to Rutte and Kaag, Deputy Prime Ministers Hoekstra (CDA, Foreign Affairs) and Schouten (ChristenUnie, Poverty Alleviation) are also present. In addition, other ministers involved will join, such as Ollongren (Defence), De Jonge (Housing), Yesilgöz (Justice) and State Secretary Van der Burg (Asylum). All coalition parties have a minister at the table.
Totally different
The topic is very sensitive politically because the coalition parties have different views on the approach. In government factions this new year is seen as ‘the year of truth’ and behind the scenes, high-ranking sources are particularly concerned about the discussion on migration.
VVD and CDA insist on restrictions on migration, but any tightening is sensitive to supporters of D66 and ChristenUnie. “That’s why the consultations will proceed very cautiously and will not yet lead to any decision,” says an insider. Furthermore, it is not just about asylum seekers: the ChristenUnie also wants to explicitly examine labor migration within the European Union, and this is anathema to D66.
Ruth’s Promise
At the same time, Prime Minister Rutte in particular is under heavy pressure from his VVD party in the House of Representatives. Late last year, Rutte promised that group to find an approach to reduce the number of asylum seekers who come knocking here.
But so far it seems that little concrete has been done to limit the influx, because our country is forced to comply with all kinds of international treaties. For example, the decision not to reunite recognized refugees with their families until the refugee has been allocated a home has repeatedly been blocked by court rulings.
European solution?
There will be a European summit on migration in February. According to one person involved, there is little chance that the Netherlands will make any new proposals there. However, our country will strongly insist on compliance with the agreements already made.
This mainly refers to the so-called Dublin Convention. It was agreed that refugees will be welcomed in the European country where they first arrive. In practice this doesn’t work. Eastern European countries, Greece and Italy allow refugees to travel to Western European countries such as Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Support for the Netherlands
What might help the Netherlands is that, as a result of this course of action, the asylum issue is also felt strongly in Germany, France and Belgium, for example. These countries could then support the call of the Netherlands to honor the old agreements.
At the EU summit in December, Prime Minister Rutte received support from Belgian Prime Minister De Croo for measures to limit migration:
