After the pogrom in Maccabi fans: the Dutch government is in crisis

The right-wing government in the Netherlands has survived, for the time being, a political storm that erupted following the attack on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in Amsterdam • Nora Akhabar, a minister in the Ministry of Finance from the Center Party, announced her resignation following what she described as “manifestations of racism in the government” • For the time being, the government remains in a stable majority, but There is a fear that more of its members will resign also following the recent storm

The right-wing government in the Netherlands almost suffered a shock last night (Friday) following the crisis caused by the pogrom among Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in Amsterdam last weekend. Many conjectures and speculations arose that the government, historically right-wing in the country, would collapse amid the controversy over how to respond to the difficult events.

However, only Nora Akhbar, a finance ministry minister from the center party NSC, announced her resignation. This, due to alleged racist statements by other members of the government.

Shortly after last night’s stormy cabinet meeting, Akhbar issued a public statement confirming her resignation. “With pain in my heart, I must announce that I will not continue in my position,” she wrote, noting that she entered the coalition to “restore justice, humanity and trust in the government.” She added and said: “The polarized attitudes of the last few weeks have affected me so much – that I can no longer and no longer want to effectively fulfill my role in this cabinet.”

The right-wing coalition will retain enough seats to remain in power, at least for now, after swaying amid fears that other ministers of the Center Party would follow Akhbar, who reportedly told her colleagues that the reason for her departure was “racist comments by other ministers” made during a government meeting on Monday – which discussed the events of The violence in Amsterdam.

Since July, the Dutch government consists of the far-right party PVV, the center-right party VVD, the populist right-wing party BBB ​​and the center party NSC. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Dick Schoff – the most right-wing government in the history of the Netherlands was established.

However, as mentioned, the coalition faced internal struggles over how to respond to the attack on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans. According to reports, the leader of the PVV party Hert Wilders, who is not part of the government, repeatedly vented his anger on the cabinet and demanded harsh measures against Muslim immigrants. While the other PVV members And the ministers from the VVD and BBB all supported the plan to revoke the Dutch citizenship of the perpetrators of anti-Semitic violence – The more moderate NSC party declined to say whether it supports this solution.