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June 30, 2006

Hirsi Ali dispute brings down Dutch government

Let's just borrow from Robert Spencer and call this anti-dhimmitude in The Netherlands by D66! Readers will recall that six weeks ago Mrs Verdonk threatened to strip Hirsi Ali of her citizenship because she gave a false name and age when she applied for asylum in the Netherlands in 1992. According to Verdonk, that meant her naturalisation five years later was unlawful. Now it appears all that may be out the door.

A dispute over the citizenship of Somali-born Ayaan Hirsi Ali brought down the Dutch government yesterday when D66, the junior member of the centre-right coalition, walked out after demanding the resignation of Rita Verdonk, the hard-line immigration minister.

Jan Peter Balkenende, prime minister, told parliament he would go to Queen Beatrix today to begin the process of consultations that could lead either to his Christian democrat alliance continuing to govern as a minority coalition with Mrs Verdonk's liberal VVD, or to a snap general election.

The crisis came as two D66 cabinet ministers and a state secretary with the centrist party resigned.

It is the second time in less than four years that a government led by Mr Balkenende has collapsed. He told Dutch television news: "It does not affect me that much. I am busy with the future, doing what I believe in."

Mrs Verdonk had survived a no-confidence vote yesterday, thanks to the support of her liberal VVD and the Christian democrat CDA, but D66, the junior member of the three-party coalition, insisted she resign anyway.

Posted by Richard at June 30, 2006 9:03 AM