The Dutch Government Collapsed — Here’s What It Means and What the Ramifications May Be

As the U.S. government and its divided public struggle to navigate various presidential goals, as well as mass layoffs and a host of controversial claims, the governmental or ruling bodies of other nations are facing various degrees of stress and strife.

Case in point: this week, the Dutch government collapsed, sparking countless questions about what comes next for the people of the Netherlands and the Dutch government. Of course, many are wondering what a collapsed government even entails.

Below, we assess what exactly happened to spark the collapse of the Dutch government, who the main players are in this debacle, and what comes next. Keep reading to better understand the drama of a collapsed government and how this situation can be resolved to avoid further scandal and ire from nearby nations.

This week, far-right politician Geert Wilder withdrew his Party for Freedom's ministers from the four-party ruling coalition that comprises the Dutch government. According to the Associated Press, the issue arose over migration policies.

In the aftermath of Wilder's move, the Dutch government "will run a caretaker administration," per the Associated Press, as the ministers of the other three parties comprising the coalition seek to navigate turbulent waters.

"Wilders is pushing for extreme measures, including freezing asylum applications and halting the construction of reception centers," according to Travel Noire. "The political earthquake has sent immediate shockwaves through diplomatic channels. It has also raised questions about how the instability might affect international travelers and tourism to one of Europe’s most popular destinations."

Furthermore, "deep ideological divisions" had already plagued the ruling coalition, according to The Parliament. "Wilders’ party — which won the most votes in November 2023, but failed to secure a majority — was only able to enter government after months of negotiations that saw him personally barred from the coalition. Party leaders then appointed [Prime Minister Dick Schoof], a technocrat without party affiliation, to lead the wobbly alliance."

Also part of the fallout is that Schoof resigned from his role as Dutch prime minister following Wilder's move, according to Reuters.

"I have told party leaders repeatedly in recent days that the collapse of the cabinet would be unnecessary and irresponsible," Schoof said, per Reuters. "We are facing major challenges both nationally and internationally that require decisiveness from us." Schoof then gave his formal resignation to King Willem-Alexander, per the report.

You may have recently heard the term "snap election" after South Korea's former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was impeached and removed from office, per the BBC. A snap election is an occurrence during which an election must be held sooner than anticipated or scheduled.

Now, a snap election will likely occur for the Dutch government at some point in 2025. Experts are divided on the exact date at which the Dutch government will hold another election.

For now, the collapsed Dutch government remains in turmoil. After just 11 months, an already-divided governmental coalition that was on shaky ground predictably collapsed and the months ahead should be fascinating to observe.