Prime minister Rob Jetten has condemned fellow MPs for stoking the recent surge in unrest at asylum seeker centres and raised concerns over a general rise in political violence. His comments were part of a heated parliamentary debate over the normalisation of violence in Dutch politics and society.
Jetten said that the wave of riots outside planned refugee centres is frightening local politicians and citizens into silence. This is threatening effective democracy in the Netherlands, he said, and alluded to MPs that have “justified” the attacks.
Lidewij de Vos, leader of the far-right FVD, who joined a demonstration in Loosdrecht (where frequent attacks have taken place), said she condemned the violence but described it as “understandable” given the government’s current asylum policies.
The debate lasted eight hours and descended into arguments over far-right links to neo nazi groups, racist political doctrines, and the “great replacement” conspiracy theory.
Inciting violence
Centre-left Progressief Nederland (PN) leader Jesse Klaver was more candid, telling the chamber that far-right leaders like Gidi Markuszower (who leads the recently formed DNA party), PVV leader Geert Wilders and FVD’s De Vos were deliberately inciting violence in society, which he called “not an opinion, but a fact”.
He also cited recent warnings from the counterterrorism coordinator NCTV about the growing threat from far-right ideology.
D66 parliamentary leader Jan Paternotte, whose centrist social-liberal party leads the minority cabinet, said there was a clear link between politicians “who have deliberately thrown fuel on the fire for years” and “rioters who subsequently threaten refugees with arson”.
“The Netherlands for the Dutch”
Right wing parties pushed back on the accusations. MP Caroline van der Plas of the farmer’s party BBB, along with far-right JA21’s Joost Eerdmans and independent MP Mona Keijzer, argued the protests had been “largely peaceful.”
They said the violence stemmed from frustration with government asylum policy, particularly the failure to reduce the number of new arrivals.
However, De Vos drew criticism from multiple parties after she said “the Netherlands is for the Dutch” – meaning “people who originally lived here, who have lived here for generations.” She added that others should be encouraged to leave. Paternotte branded the comments “stone-cold racism”.
De Vos also blamed the Christian democrat CDA and its coalition partners for causing “rapes and murders” committed by refugees. CDA leader Henri Bontenbal responded: “How disgusting do you want it to be? Look in the mirror and see if you still have a moral compass.”
Cabinet keeps door open
Gidi Markuszower, who recently called for “maximum force” against Palestinian refugees and suggested the Dutch government should even exceed Israel’s level of violence to secure its borders “if necessary”, drew direct condemnation from prime minister Jetten.
“There is no need to use violence against people coming here to apply for asylum,” Jetten said. However, his cabinet refused to rule out future cooperation with Markuszower’s seven-member party. Jetten said securing “the broadest possible majorities” on asylum and housing was vital for a minority cabinet.
VVD parliamentary leader Ruben Brekelmans went further, arguing that ad-hoc deals with the Markuszower Group could be necessary to “secure majorities” for “good proposals”. Klaver accused the coalition of holding “the door wide open” to Markuszower.
No concrete measures emerged from the debate. Jetten pointed to a European migration pact adopted earlier on Tuesday and to government “flying teams” recently deployed to councils struggling with asylum reception. The security service AIVD is investigating who is organising the violence at asylum reception sites.
