Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced on Monday that he will be leaving politics after general elections, still without a set date, which were provoked by the resignation of his coalition government, in a shock announcement that ends the senior leader’s career from The Netherlands.
The decision marks the end of more than 13 years in power during which Rutte led four coalition governments often beset by scandals that never directly affected the conservative prime minister.
The 56-year-old Rutte, leader of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), announced the decision during an emergency debate in the House of Representatives about the dissolution of the last government coalition.
“Yesterday morning I made the decision that I am no longer suitable as a leader for the VVD. When the new cabinet takes office after the elections, I will leave politics.”Rutte stated to the House of Representatives.
Rutte said it was a “personal decision” given the “events of the past few weeks”.
The fall of the four-party coalition is due to a dispute over measures to control migration. However, Rutte said that he will remain as interim president until the elections, which will not be held until mid-November.
On Monday, however, Rutte faces a vote in parliament that will try to remove him as interim prime minister.
Two left-wing opposition parties and the far-right party of anti-Islam leader Geert Wilders submitted a motion of no confidence against Rutte.
For the vote to succeed, the vote needs the support of at least one of the four parties in Rutte’s coalition, which, according to Dutch media, fell apart on Friday.
Source: DN
