THE HAGUE, Netherlands — On Friday, the far-right Dutch government unveiled a series of significant initiatives aimed at limiting migration. These new policies, which include reintroducing border checks, place the Netherlands among a growing list of European nations adopting strict measures in response to increasing anti-immigrant sentiments across the continent.
Among the proposed changes slated for prompt parliamentary action is a restriction on the family members allowed to join individuals granted asylum in the Netherlands. Additionally, the government plans to shorten the duration of temporary visas and designate specific parts of war-torn Syria as safe, allowing authorities to deny asylum requests from migrants hailing from those areas. Currently, Syrians represent the largest group of newcomers seeking refuge in the country.
This announcement follows a recent summit among European Union leaders who are exploring strategies to address migration effectively while transforming the 27-member bloc into a more fortified entity. Germany, a neighboring nation, has also recently reinstated certain border checks, and the newly elected French government has expressed intentions to adopt similar stringent migration policies.
“As a government, we aim to make the Netherlands as unattractive as possible,” stated Marjolein Faber, the Asylum and Migration Minister affiliated with Geert Wilders’ nationalist and anti-Islam party, which holds significant sway in the government. Wilders himself praised the initiatives, labeling them as historic and declaring it “the toughest asylum policy ever.”
The Dutch Cabinet endorsed this strategy after extensive late-night discussions among Wilders and fellow party leaders to come to a consensus on executing the policy changes. In addition to these measures, the government plans to abolish a law mandating that municipalities accommodate migrants, prompting criticism from the association of Dutch municipalities, which warned that these measures could lead to chaos and emphasized the importance of equitable task distribution among local authorities.
Prime Minister Dick Schoof emphasized that these actions are geared towards “reducing the inflow, accelerating the outflow, and ensuring the return of those not lawfully residing in the Netherlands,” while aiming to restore functionality in the asylum process to alleviate societal pressure.
Nevertheless, the Dutch Council for Refugees expressed skepticism regarding these new policies, describing them as ineffective solutions to the ongoing issues regarding asylum processing in the country. They pointed out that the country’s problems stem from a sluggish asylum system and insufficient accommodations, rather than the proposed crackdown.
The coalition government, formed after Wilders’ electoral triumph last year, has been working since taking office in July to fulfill its promise of migration control, although there has been considerable internal debate on implementing these changes swiftly. In the past year, around 51,000 individuals have sought asylum in the Netherlands, a country with a population of approximately 18 million. In September alone, there were 4,026 arrivals, a slight decrease from the previous year’s 4,683.
Prior to Friday’s announcement, discussions revolved around using crisis legislation—which can bypass parliamentary approval—or pursuing expedited legislation that requires legislative consent. After negotiations between Wilders and the New Social Contract party, known for its campaign advocating better governance, the Cabinet decided to pursue parliamentary approval.
Certain critics, including legal experts, opposition officials, and members of the New Social Contract, raised concerns about the legality of employing crisis legislation to address ongoing migration challenges. This is not the first instance of the Dutch coalition pursuing stringent measures; in September, Faber reached out to European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson to seek exemptions from EU migration regulations. She stressed the necessity to “drastically reduce the volume of migration to the Netherlands” in order to maintain the government’s ability to meet its constitutional obligations, encompassing public housing, healthcare, and education.
The shift towards more stringent immigration policies in the Netherlands reflects a broader trend seen throughout Europe, where right-wing leaders like Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán are also advocating for substantial reductions in migrant numbers. Last month, the EU initiated steps to reclaim hundreds of millions of euros allocated to Hungary after its anti-migrant administration faced sanctions for regularly violating the bloc’s asylum protocols, which included denying migrants their right to apply for asylum.