The premier of the Netherlands Mark Rutte has announced that he will not stand for re-election and, after the general elections next autumn, he will leave politics and will no longer be available as leader of his party, the Vvd.
He said this at the beginning of the debate in the House of Representatives, speaking of the early dissolution of his government.
It was the migration issue that overwhelmed one of Europe's longest-serving prime ministers . The fourth executive headed by the leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy fell a few days ago after exhausting and inconclusive negotiations on the new measures to be implemented on migration and asylum.
Rutte and the Christian Democratic Appeal (Cda) pushed for a net limitation of family reunification for migrants. The other half of the alliance, the liberals of the D66 party and the Calvinists of the Christian Union, opposed it. In the night between Thursday and Friday, the last crucial negotiation started. And in the end Rutte had to raise the white flag.
"In recent days there has been speculation about what motivated me," says Rutte, referring to the coalition's quarrel over asylum policy. “The only answer is: the Netherlands. My position is completely subordinated to that.'
(Unioneonline/D)
