When the Schoof cabinet was formed in 2024, it agreed to declare an asylum crisis in the Netherlands. Through the introduction of an emergency act, it intends to temporarily suspend certain provisions of the asylum legislation.
The coalition agreement of the right-wing Schoof cabinet, struck by the PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB in May 2024, included plans to issue a "well-substantiated" statutory instrument to suspend certain provisions of the Aliens Act and to introduce an Asylum Crisis Act without delay. It was agreed that no new asylum applications would be processed and that the Spreidingswet would be revoked. [1] [2] [3] The coalition parties called their migration policy the most stringent and extensive in history. [4] In response to questions by MEP Sophie in 't Veld, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson wrote that a reasoned request would have to be submitted in order to proclaim an asylum crisis, showing that the system has become non-functional despite preparations. [5] In late August 2024, Minister of Asylum and Migration Marjolein Faber said that the Netherlands was experiencing an asylum crisis when discussing the closure of an application center for Ukrainian refugees due to overcrowding. She clarified that her comments did not constitute an official declaration of an asylum crisis and that a bill would be finalized around Prinsjesdag , in mid-September. Prime Minister Dick Schoof remarked that more time would be required. [1] [6]
The governing agreement of the Schoof cabinet, presented on 13 September, reiterated that an asylum crisis would be declared by royal decree, bypassing initial parliamentary approval. [7] Opposition parties questioned the legal viability of invoking emergency powers, and they criticized the lack of parliamentary consultation. [8] Nicolien van Vroonhoven (NSC) noted that her party's support was contingent on a positive advice of the Council of State. [9] Her party joined the opposition in demanding the release of official documents related to the planned use of emergency measures during the annual General Political Debate following Prinsjesdag, referring to the parliament's right to information under Article 68 of the Constitution of the Netherlands. [10] Documents of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations showed that civil servants had advised against using emergency legislation, contending that the situation was unlikely to meet the threshold for exceptional circumstances. [11] Faber insisted that she believed a crisis could still be declared. [12] The VVD and NSC later called on the cabinet to prepare an expedited law in parallel, while Geert Wilders stressed that the cabinet would be in trouble if no emergency law would be enacted. [13] [14]
Opposition parties held a majority in the Senate, which would have to approve continuation of an emergency. On 9 October 2024, during the Senate's General Political Debate, a motion was carried declaring the use of emergency powers undesirable and urging the cabinet to propose an alternative approach. [15] A report by the Netherlands Bar concluded the following day that "the government could not claim to have a fully-fledged rule of law" if it were to abuse emergency powers. [16] Schoof facilitated negotiations between the coalition parties to come to an agreement, initially only inviting the PVV and NSC. [17]
Marie-Fleur Agema is a Dutch politician and former spatial designer, serving as First Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport in the Schoof cabinet since 2024. Agema previously served as a member of the House of Representatives for the far right Party for Freedom between 30 November 2006 and 2 July 2024.
Yde Johan "Eddy" van Hijum is a Dutch politician who has served as the minister of social affairs and employment and third deputy prime minister in the Schoof cabinet since 2024.
Maria Cornelia Gezina "Mona" Keijzer is a Dutch politician and former civil servant who is the minister of housing and spatial planning in the Schoof cabinet since 2024. A member of the Farmer–Citizen Movement, she won a seat in the House of Representatives in the 2023 Dutch general election.
Reinette Joanne Klever is a Dutch politician, asset manager and broadcaster. She has served as Minister for Foreign Trade and Development in the Schoof cabinet since July 2024, on behalf of the Party for Freedom (PVV).
Marjolein Hillegonda Monica Faber-van de Klashorst is a Dutch politician for the right-wing populist Party for Freedom (PVV), who has served as Minister of Asylum and Migration in the Schoof cabinet since July 2024. Previously, she was a member of the Provincial Council of Gelderland (2011–2023), of the Senate (2014–2023), and of the House of Representatives (2023–2024).
Gijs Pepijn Tuinman is a Dutch military officer and politician of the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB), who has served as State Secretary for Defence in the Schoof cabinet since July 2024. He was a member of the House of Representatives in the preceding seven months. Tuinman is one of the only three living knights of the Military Order of William, the oldest and highest order of chivalry of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Eppo Egbert Willem Bruins is a Dutch politician and physicist. He has been serving as Minister of Education, Culture and Science in the Schoof cabinet since July 2024 on behalf of New Social Contract (NSC). He was a member of the House of Representatives for the Christian Union (CU) from 2015 to 2021.
Hendrikus Wilhelmus Maria "Dick" Schoof is a Dutch civil servant and politician serving as the prime minister of the Netherlands in the Schoof cabinet since 2 July 2024.
Sophia Theodora Monique "Sophie" Hermans is a Dutch politician currently serving as Second Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister of Climate and Green Growth in the Schoof cabinet. Hermans previously served as a member of the House of Representatives representing People's Party for Freedom and Democracy between 2017 and 2024.
Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius is a Dutch politician who served as Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy since 2023. She also served as minister of justice and security in the fourth Rutte cabinet from 10 January 2022 to 2 July 2024. Yeşilgöz previously served as a member of the House of Representatives from 2017 to 2021 and as State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy from 2021 until 2022.
Early general elections were held in the Netherlands on 22 November 2023 to elect the members of the House of Representatives. The elections had been expected to be held in 2025 but a snap election was called after the fourth Rutte cabinet collapsed on 7 July 2023 due to immigration policy disagreements between the coalition parties. The incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced that he would not lead his party into the election and that he would retire from politics.
Ruben Pieter Brekelmans is a Dutch politician serving as the minister of defence in the Schoof cabinet since 2024. Brekelmans previously served as a member of the House of Representatives on behalf of the conservative-liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). As a parliamentarian, he focused on foreign affairs and migration.
Eric van der Burg is a Dutch politician, who served as State Secretary for Justice and Security in the fourth Rutte cabinet between January 2022 and July 2024. A member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), he was elected to the Senate in 2019. Van der Burg previously had a lengthy political career in the municipality of Amsterdam which culminated in his brief service as ad interim Mayor of Amsterdam in 2017.
Following the Dutch general election of 22 November 2023, a process of cabinet formation was launched, resulting in the formation of the Schoof cabinet on 2 July 2024, comprising the Party for Freedom (PVV), the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), New Social Contract (NSC) and the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB). Despite intentions to form an extra-parliamentary cabinet, the cabinet is generally considered a parliamentary cabinet.
Judith Johanna Marianne Uitermark is a Dutch judge and politician of the Christian democratic New Social Contract (NSC) party. Since 2 July 2024 Uitermark has served as minister of the interior and kingdom relations in the Schoof cabinet.
The Schoof cabinet is the cabinet of the Netherlands, sworn in on 2 July 2024. Led by independent politician and civil servant Dick Schoof as prime minister of the Netherlands, the cabinet was formed by the Party for Freedom (PVV), the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), the New Social Contract (NSC) and the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB) after the 2023 Dutch general election.
David Martijn van Weel is a Dutch diplomat, civil servant and military veteran, currently serving as Minister of Justice and Security in the Schoof cabinet.
Vincent Pieter Geert Karremans is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). He has served as State Secretary for Youth, Prevention and Sport in the Schoof cabinet since July 2024.
The Ministry of Asylum and Migration is the Dutch ministry responsible for asylum and migration policy.
The 2025 Netherlands budget was presented to the States General on 17 September 2024, a day also known as Prinsjesdag. It was the first budget of the Schoof cabinet and of Minister of Finance Eelco Heinen.