The newly agreed Dutch coalition government proposed the "strictest-ever" asylum policy on Thursday, May 16, including an opt-out from European Union rules, and vowed to examine moving its Israel embassy to Jerusalem.
The 26-page coalition agreement emerged early Thursday after six months of gruelling talks between four parties following the stunning election victory of far-right leader Geert Wilders. The parties said they would file a request to the European Commission for an opt-out on European asylum policy "as soon as possible."
"Concrete steps will be taken towards the strictest ever entry rules for asylum and the most comprehensive ever package to control migration," the agreement said. People without a valid residence permit will be deported "by force if necessary," said the report.
On foreign policy, the parties commit to keep the Netherlands as a "constructive partner" in the European Union and support Ukraine "politically, militarily, financially, and morally."
More controversially, the agreement calls to examine the idea of moving the Dutch embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Jerusalem is claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians, but most governments avoid putting embassies there to avoid jeopardizing the outcome of negotiations for a lasting peace. "Taking into account solutions to the Israel-Palestinian conflict and diplomatic interests, we will examine when the embassy can be moved to Jerusalem at an appropriate time," said the report.
The parties have still not agreed on who will be prime minister of the European Union's fifth-largest economy. They appointed civil servant Richard van Zwol as the so-called "formateur" who will oversee the formation of a cabinet, but he is not the intended PM candidate. In March, the four parties agreed to aim for a partially technocratic cabinet made up of 50% politicians and 50% people from outside politics.
The main contender looks to be former education and interior minister Ronald Plasterk, who also played a key role in overseeing the initial talks. Wilders himself has already reluctantly agreed to give up his dream of becoming prime minister amid widespread unease over his anti-Islam, anti-European views.