The broad Dutch coalition is in crisis talks on Friday after a Moroccan-born politician belonging to the centrist New Social Contract party resigned from the cabinet after reportedly taking issue with remarks made about the pro-Palestine attackers involved in the hunting of Jews in Amsterdam last week.
Nora Achahbar had served as State Secretary for Benefits and Customs since the formation of the new Dutch government dominated by Geert Wilders’ Party For Freedom (PVV).
De Telegraaf reported that the NSC politician had objected to the tone of discussions within a cabinet meeting on Monday called to discuss the civil unrest in Amsterdam last week during which Muslim mobs attacked Israelis in the city for Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Europa League football match with Dutch giants Ajax.
Following the horrific scenes, Wilders condemned the failure of Amsterdam’s authorities to prevent what he described as a “Jew hunt” and called for the immediate resignation of the city’s mayor.
“We have become the Gaza of Europe,” he declared as he criticized the lack of police protection and demanded accountability from city officials, warning that he would not tolerate such violence under any circumstances.
Dutch politician @GeertWildersPVV has called for the mayor of Amsterdam to resign and for an investigation into the failings of the authorities to protect Jews violently beaten by Muslim mobs on the streets of the Dutch capital last night. https://t.co/hJ6BqhWhGx
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) November 8, 2024“Condemning the hunt for Jews in Amsterdam is not enough. The perpetrators must leave the country. I have been warning for over 20 years about the growing hatred of Jews in the Netherlands due to the continued mass immigration and Islamization of our country,” he added.
Dutch media reported on Friday that “things got heated” during the cabinet meeting that followed and that, in Achahbar’s opinion, racist statements were made.
It is unclear what remarks were made or who they were directed at.
Achahbar’s resignation is expected to be the first real test of a diverse coalition that is somewhat fragile given its composition across the political spectrum.
Furthermore, there are reports that more NSC colleagues could follow her out the door.
Crisis in het Catshuis. pic.twitter.com/Q9e0Cq9MeC
— Mike Muller (@_MikeMuller) November 15, 2024Other NSC cabinet members include Judith Uitermark at the interior ministry, education minister Eppo Bruins, Eddy van Hijum leading on social affairs and employment, Vaspar Veldkamp at the foreign ministry, Teun Struycken in charge of legal protection, and Tjebbe van Oostenbruggen, state secretary for finance.
“It’s completely right if Achahbar draws the line and resigns,” said opposition leader Frans Timmermans, jumping on the opportunity to demand an emergency debate on the matter in parliament. “In this cabinet, racist statements are the order of the day,” he claimed.
