Thread: Dutch govt collapses

Dutch govt collapses
Feb 20, 2010


Mr Balkenende's (above) centre-right Christian Democrat CDA, the bigger partner in the coalition, floated the idea of keeping a reduced force in place for a year past the August 2010 deadline.
PHOTO: AFP

AMSTERDAM - THE Dutch coalition government collapsed on Saturday when the two largest parties failed to agree on whether to withdraw troops from Afghanistan as planned this year, Dutch media reported.

The ANP news agency and RTL television said Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende's cabinet fell apart after hours of talks that extended into the early hours of Saturday.

As Nato increases efforts to contain the Taleban insurgency, it has asked the Netherlands to 'investigate the possibilities and desirability of a longer stay in Afghanistan' for its 2,000 troops based in Uruzgan province.

Mr Balkenende's centre-right Christian Democrat CDA, the bigger partner in the coalition, floated the idea of keeping a reduced force in place for a year past the August 2010 deadline. This met with stiff opposition from Deputy Prime Minister Wouter Bos, whose Labour Party wants the Afghan mission to end as promised, with 'the last Dutch soldier gone from Uruzgan by the end of the year'.

The Balkenende government took office three years ago. If an election is held before the unveiling of next year's budget in September, it would effectively nullify an existing agreement to hold off any austerity steps until 2011.

That could open the door for a new government to bring forward austerity measures to bring the budget deficit under control, in response to criticism against the Balkenende coalition for being too indecisive over making tough decisions.

straitstimes.com

Perhaps not the best of times to be changing governments, is it? So many storms on the horizon.

How things have changed

The Netherlands was the first place I emigrated to in the early 60's and I really liked the place.
Now it seems to have turned into a typical EC squabbling kindergarten - just like the rest of the members ( and before any body jumps down my throat - including the UK )

One might say they are rudderless..

Originally Posted by slackula

One might say they are rudderless..

Confusion.

You see a lot of Dutch ex-pats in St. Maarten

Greeks and Spanish to follow.

....n whos gunna pay??

Originally Posted by Mid

Mr Balkenende's centre-right Christian Democrat CDA, the bigger partner in the coalition, floated the idea of keeping a reduced force in place for a year past the August 2010 deadline. This met with stiff opposition from Deputy Prime Minister Wouter Bos, whose Labour Party wants the Afghan mission to end as promised, with 'the last Dutch soldier gone from Uruzgan by the end of the year'.

Only the first. Other NATO nations will follow suit. Very little support from citizens to continue keeping troops in Afghanistan.

agree with ya mate, and the world turns, and a lot of mums want their boys home

The Dutch are tired of your troops being killed in Afghanistan, then bring them home. What a novel idea, too bad the Americans are too stupid to think about that. On the other hand, anyone willing to die for oil and corporate greed is no great loss to the gene pool.

And to think that it's all for a pipeline....

Dutch are a bit odd sometimes.

Originally Posted by Happyman

How things have changed

The Netherlands was the first place I emigrated to in the early 60's and I really liked the place.
Now it seems to have turned into a typical EC squabbling kindergarten - just like the rest of the members ( and before any body jumps down my throat - including the UK )

You mean the world has changed?

Originally Posted by JoeMoer

Dutch are a bit odd sometimes.

What has that to do with the price of cheese??