Netherlands intends to introduce a state of emergency to limit the number of asylum seekers

(Patria) - The Netherlands intends to declare a state of emergency to limit the number of asylum seekers entering the country, RSE reports.

Marjolein Faber, the right-wing minister for asylum, said that such a move would allow the Dutch government to "very quickly" suspend parts of existing asylum laws, writes DPA.

Around 40,000 asylum seekers arrive in the Netherlands every year, which, according to critics, negatively affects the housing shortage in the country.

In the event of a crisis, the country's government can declare a state of emergency thanks to the use of a royal decree, which allows it to take certain measures without parliamentary approval, as was the case during the coronavirus pandemic.

However, such a decision must be legally justified, and legal experts question whether the number of asylum seekers, which has remained stable, is sufficient to declare a crisis.

Opposition parties reacted with indignation to such an announcement, calling the government's plan undemocratic. The opposition believes that the housing crisis in the country is a consequence of austerity measures.

Reducing the number of asylum seekers and migrants is one of the main goals of the new Dutch government, which took office in July.

The four-party coalition also includes the Party for Freedom (PVV) led by populist leader Geert Wilders, which won the parliamentary elections in November 2023, DPA reminds.