Dutch farmers celebrate Mark Rutte's resignation

Mr. Rutte leaves the Hues ten Bosch Palace in The Hague after informing King Willem-Alexander of the fall of his cabinet. Photo: ROBIN UTRECT. /EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Dutch farmers celebrate the victory of Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who said he would not run in the next general election after his government collapsed over a migration scandal.

Longest-serving Prime Minister The Minister of History of the Netherlands announced that he was retiring from politics after the Movement of Farmers and Citizens (BBB) ​​called for him to resign immediately.

Mr Rutte faced a vote of no confidence in The Hague on Monday after the fall of the four-party government on Friday over its move to limit the right of asylum seekers to bring their families to the Netherlands. The offer was withdrawn after a statement by Mr. Rutte.

The BBB, which has spoken out loudly against Mr Rutte's plans for mandatory farm buyouts to cut nitrogen emissions and meet EU climate targets, is leading the polls ahead of elections expected in the fall.

“Rutte will not return to the next cabinet. This is a very wise decision,” said BBB leader Caroline van der Plas, whose party won a landslide victory in the regional elections in March, during which mass anti-tractor protests took place.

“In recent days, there have been rumors about what motivates me. The only answer is the Netherlands,” said Mr Rutte, leader of the conservative VVD, the largest Dutch party, in The Hague.

“I decided on Sunday that I would not be available as a leader. for the VVD in the upcoming elections,” added the 56-year-old politician, nicknamed “Teflon Mark” after leading four coalitions in his 13 years in office.

No confidence

Mr. to power in October 2010, said he wanted to remain acting prime minister until the election.

Over the weekend, his coalition partners made it clear they were blaming him for the cabinet crisis as he pushed for restrictions on family migration, even though he knew those measures had gone too far for a Christian Union junior partner.

» I think now is the right time to pass the baton,” said Mr. Rutte, “I think this is a wonderful job and I would like to fight to continue, but at the same time, I have to ask myself every time before the elections: what is wise? And it's nice.”

The BBB, which called for a limit on the number of asylum seekers, came out of nowhere to become the largest party in all 12 provinces of the Netherlands in a regional vote that became a referendum on Mr. Rutte's candidacy. long term in office.

Coalition talks

A poll by Europe Elects showed the BBB would be the largest party after the election with 16.8% of the vote, ahead of Mr. Rutte's VVD with 14.8%.< /p >

A poll by a Dutch broadcaster over the weekend showed that three out of four people in the Netherlands oppose Mr. Rutte's return to power to head a fifth coalition government.

According to the Dutch system of proportional representation, the BBB will almost certainly have to negotiate coalitions with other parties before entering government.

At the regional level, establishment parties have formed alliances to keep farmers out, whose anti-tractor protests have attracted international attention. strength.