The Netherlands has announced that it will break ranks from the European Union with a brand new policy on asylum seekers.
The new coalition government confirmed that its new policy would see some people removed from the country “by force” in a break from current European Union rules.
The new plans come after the leader of the PPV, euro-sceptic Geert Wilders, reached a deal to form a government with three other right-wing political parties.
The coalition, made up of the PVV, VVD, BBB, and NSC, made the announcement at a press conference in the Hague earlier today.
In its new pact, the coalition explained that they would submit an “opt-out clause for European asylum and migration policies… to the European Commission”.
They added: “Concrete steps will be taken towards the strictest ever entry rules for asylum and the most comprehensive ever package to control migration.”
In a statement, the PPV’s Geert Wilders claimed that their new policies would “definitely make the Netherlands less attractive for asylum seekers” and said that the plans would make “people in Africa and the Middle East” think they would be better off in other countries.
The move by the coalition follows Denmark‘s successful negotiations which ended in them being excluded from being bound by European Union asylum policies. The Dutch government is reportedly hoping to reach a similar deal to that agreed between Denmark and the European Commission.
In response to the Dutch coalition’s announcement, the MailOnline reported that a spokesperson for the European Commission said: “You cannot opt out of EU legislation…We are working on the basis of existing treaties and existing legislation.”
The latest move by a European country to change its asylum policies comes as the UK ramps up plans to expand the size of the cohort of illegal migrants which could be sent to Rwanda.
Officials confirmed earlier this week that failed asylum seekers who arrived in the UK before April 2022 could be eligible for the one-way flights to Kigali.
According to figures revealed by the Daily Express around 43,682 migrants crossed the English Channel between 2018 and the end of March 2022.
Speaking about the policy, Home Secretary James Cleverly said: “Those who have no right to remain in the UK should not be allowed to stay…We continue to swiftly detain those in line for removal to ensure we have a steady drumbeat of flights to Rwanda.”
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