DUTCH COALITION FALLS AFTER RESIGNATION OF D66 MINISTERS 

The Dutch coalition government collapsed this evening after one of the most bizarre days in the country's political history. Christian Democrat Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende finally conceded the coalition was finished after ministers of the democratic party D66, the smallest coalition party, resigned. Balkenende is expected to tender his government's resignation to Queen Beatrix on Friday.

Hours earlier, Balkenende had announced that his ministers had decided that a rejected ‘vote of no confidence’ against Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk,of the Liberal Party (VVD) would have no consequences for the government. Balkenende. The Cabinet, including the D66 ministers, was unanimous in its decision.

The parliamentary party of D66 supported the ‘vote of no confidence’ from the opposition this morning, because of the way Verdonk refused to acknowledge any blame for the Ayaan Hirsi Ali naturalisation affair. D66's party leader Van der Laan said the party was withdrawing support for the government, in response to Balkenende's announcement that the government intended to continue with Minister Verdonk. Van der Laan  told the parliament that ‘Balkenende should go to the Queen to ask for dissolution of parliament.’

MPs of both the government and opposition parties questioned Van der Laan as to why the D66's two ministers had not resigned earlier and CDA parliamentary party leader Maxime Verhagen said, ‘D66 MPs should submit a ‘vote of no confidence’ against its own ministers first.’ The Liberals and the Christian Democrats then signalled that they intended to continue government without D66, but this plan was torpedoed by the D66 ministers, during a meeting of the entire government this evening. more features

June 29, 2006