The Netherlands prepares to declare a state of emergency to fight the flow of migrants: what will change for asylum seekers

Migration policy has always been a hot issue for many European countries, especially given the increased flows of refugees and economic migrants in recent decades. The Netherlands, as one of the developed countries of the European Union, has long maintained a relatively open policy towards migrants, which has enabled many families to seek refuge and new opportunities for life here. However, with Geert Wilders’ far-right Freedom Party coming to power, the country made a sharp turn towards restrictive measures.

The coalition government of the Netherlands is preparing to declare a state of emergency, which allows stricter measures to be taken in the migration sphere and exit from EU regulation. The intention of the Cabinet of Ministers to use the powers to declare a state of emergency in accordance with the Law on Migrants is indicated in the text of the new 138-page government program aimed at significantly strengthening migration rules. This program, according to the government, is necessary to protect national interests, but it causes considerable controversy among the international community and human rights defenders.

Key provisions of the new migration policy

1. Suspension of consideration of asylum applications. One of the government’s main measures will be a temporary suspension of the processing of new asylum applications. This decision is explained by the fact that the country cannot cope with the current flow of migrants. The Dutch government believes that the suspension will allow to regulate the situation and reduce the burden on social services.
2. Repeal of the law on equal distribution of migrants. The new program envisages the repeal of the law, which required the equal distribution of migrants between different regions of the country. This is due to growing protests from local communities who believe that their regions bear an excessive burden in terms of accommodating migrants.
3. Complication of admission conditions and stricter review of repeated applications. Those who re-apply for asylum will face tougher criteria. The move is aimed at reducing the number of abuses of migration procedures, where the rejection of the first application encourages migrants to make repeated applications without substantial grounds.
4. Restrictions on family reunification. The decision to restrict family reunification became the most controversial point of the program. From now on, adult children will not have the right to be reunited with their parents in the Netherlands. This decision is especially painful for those families who have already been separated due to migration and now have even less chance of reunification.
5. Strengthening of requirements for naturalization. Obtaining citizenship will become a more complicated process. The new policy increases the language proficiency requirements – now you will need to know Dutch at the B1 level to obtain citizenship. In addition, the waiting period for naturalization has been increased from 5 to 10 years.

The reaction of the government and society

Marjolein Faber, the migration minister, said the government’s aim was to create “the strictest asylum policy in the history of the Netherlands”. Her position gained support among voters concerned about the migration situation. However, this decision caused criticism from human rights organizations, which believe that the new measures contradict the European principles of humanism and solidarity.

Prime Minister Dick Schoof explained that reducing the number of asylum seekers is necessary to provide the population with access to housing, health care and education. He emphasized that the Netherlands can no longer withstand a large flow of migrants without negative consequences for its own citizens. Schoff also plans to ask the European Commission to temporarily suspend the EU’s common migration policy, so that it can take decisive action without delay.

Geert Wilders’ far-right Freedom Party, which won almost a quarter of the seats in parliament in last November’s elections, has made the migration issue one of the key issues in its election campaign. The appointment of Marjolein Faber to the post of Minister of Migration was a sign of a decisive course for change. However, such a policy can lead to social tension within the country, as well as to conflicts at the international level.

Therefore, the Netherlands is entering a new phase of its migration policy, which can significantly change the situation for both migrants and citizens of the country. The government’s decisions are aimed at reducing the flow of migrants, but this raises questions about the observance of human rights and obligations to international partners. The introduced measures can have long-term social and political consequences, and will also determine the future of migration policy in the European Union.