Thursday, June 29, 2006

Dutch gov't falls

See what happens when you mess with my girlfriend?
The second government of Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende has fallen. The parliamentary party of junior coalition party - the D66 progessive liberals - withdrew its support for the cabinet after the prime minister made it known that a - failed - motion of censure against Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk would not have any affect on the minister's postion or that of the cabinet. The withdrawal of support means the three-party government of the Christian Democrat CDA, Conservative VVD and D66 has lost its parliamentary majority.
...
The crisis was sparked by the affair surrounding former Conservative MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Ms Verdonk first announced that she Ms Hirsi Ali had technically never become a naturlised Dutch citizien. Later, and under considerable pressure from parliament, the minister came back on that statement, saying Ms Hirsi Ali had remained a Dutch national after all. The subsequent conclusion of many in parliament was that the immigration minister's had handled the entire matter extremely badly.
I would be interested in Mike's take on this being next door, but from what my Dutch spies tell me - the next gov't will most likely be of the Left. You know where that is going to get you.

I see a lot of stroopwafel sales in New Zealand, Canada, and Australia over the next few years.

Hat tip CAPT Ed.

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