The Hague: The far-right administration of Dutch PM Dick Schoof was rocked on Friday when a junior minister allegedly threatened to quit, citing “racist” remarked by cabinet members after attacks on Israeli football supporters the previous week.
According to Dutch media, Nora Achahbar, the deputy finance minister and a Moroccan national, was set to submit her resignation later Friday, which could lead to other cabinet members of her anti-corruption NSC party doing the same.
Geert Wilders, a far-right leader, has accused “Muslims” and “Moroccans” of being responsible for the violence against Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters last week.
Leaders of the coalition parties met in emergency session on Friday night to examine the present crisis. Nicolien van Vroonhoven, the acting leader of the NSC, stated that “we will see” if the party wants to stay in the government coalition.
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Van Vroonhoven told reporters outside Schoof’s official home in The Hague, “We have had to swallow quite a bit, and it’s difficult.”
Van Vroonhoven responded, “It looks like it, but we are going to look into it,” when asked if Achahbar had submitted her resignation.
A year ago, Wilders’s Freedom Party emerged victorious in the Dutch elections, but if the NSC, which has 20 seats in the lower house of 150, leaves the government, the coalition it created will lose its majority.
The NSC, the Liberal VVD, the farmer-friendly BBB party, and the Wilders’ Freedom Party (PVV) make up the 88 seats in parliament held by the ruling coalition under Dutch PM.
Public broadcaster NOS said, “The minister is expected to hand in her resignation later today (Friday) after unhappiness with incidents within the cabinet after the violence in Amsterdam involving the game between Ajax and Tel Aviv Maccabi.”
Achahbar, 42, was a public prosecutor for a long time. According to unidentified sources cited by NOS, several members of the NSC cabinet had not ruled out resigning.
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When guys on motorbikes attacked Israeli football supporters in the streets of Amsterdam last week, the Netherlands is facing political repercussions.
Dutch PM alleged that “unadulterated anti-Semitism” was the reason behind the chasing and beating of Maccabi supporters following a Europa League match against Ajax in Amsterdam on November 7.
