 Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has resigned after the dramatic collapse of his four-party coalition government. The decision by the Netherlands' longest-serving premier means the country will face a general election later this year for the 150-seat lower house of Parliament. Mr Rutte said: 'It is no secret that the coalition partners have very different views on migration policy. 'And today, unfortunately, we have to draw the conclusion that those differences are irreconcilable. The four-party coalition government became embroiled in a bitter row over immigration (Picture: Shutterstock) 'That is why I will immediately … offer the resignation of the entire Cabinet to the king in writing.' Mr Rutte and his government will remain in office in a caretaker capacity until a new ruling coalition is chosen – although opposition parties have called for immediate elections. The leader of the conservative People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), Mr Rutte has been the Dutch prime minister since 2010. His current coalition government, the fourth he has led, took office in January 2022 following the longest coalition negotiations in Dutch political history. The resignation follows tense talks between the four parties in Mr Rutte's ruling coalition. He had presided over late-night meetings on Wednesday and Thursday that failed to result in a deal on migration policy. Further talks were held on Friday evening and Mr Rutte declined to answer questions about the issue at his weekly press conference. Opposition parties have been quick to call for fresh elections (Picture: Getty) 'Everybody wants to find a good, effective solution that also does justice to the fact that this is about human lives,' finance minister Sigrid Kaag, a member of the centrist D66 party, said before the talks began. The collapse has underscored ideological divisions in the coalition between the partner part){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has resigned after the dramatic collapse of his four-party coalition government.
The decision by the Netherlands’ longest-serving premier means the country will face a general election later this year for the 150-seat lower house of Parliament.
Mr Rutte said: ‘It is no secret that the coalition partners have very different views on migration policy.
‘And today, unfortunately, we have to draw the conclusion that those differences are irreconcilable.