The Dutch government has collapsed. What happens next?

The government, with limited powers, now has to lead the country for months before new elections

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Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof arrives to take part in a debate in the Lower House focused on the fall of the cabinet in The Hague on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:32pm, 4 Jun 2025

Dutch opposition parties called on Wednesday for fresh elections as soon as possible, a day after anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders sparked the collapse of the country’s four-party coalition government.

Prime Minister Dick Schoof’s 11-month-old administration fell apart when Wilders withdrew his Party for Freedom ministers. Schoof and the ministers of three remaining parties remain in power as a caretaker cabinet.

The government, with limited powers, now has to lead the country for months before new elections and during what could – again – be protracted talks to cobble together a new coalition in the fragmented Dutch political landscape after the vote.

Lawmakers can declare some policy areas “controversial” during the caretaker period. That restricts the government from taking concrete action on those issues.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof waves after handing in the resignation of Geert Wilder’s PVV party ministers to King Willem-Alexander at royal palace in The Hague on Tuesday. Photo: AP

What happens now?

The Dutch electoral commission will schedule a general election for all 150 seats in the Second Chamber of parliament.

The Dutch government has collapsed. What happens next?

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The government, with limited powers, now has to lead the country for months before new elections

What happens now?

The government, with limited powers, now has to lead the country for months before new elections