Dutch Government Collapses over EU Budget Battle

Dutch Government Fails over Budget

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will offer the resignations of his entire cabinet to Queen Beatrix, as the government of Netherlands collapses. The Prime Minister, the Cabinet ministers, and all state secretaries have resigned.

The Dutch center-right coalition government collapsed due to the EU budget crisis. Mark Rutte's government stayed together due to an agreement with the Freedom Party, which is inherently anti-EU. The Freedom Party would not agree to the proposed budget to bring Netherlands' spending down to EU target levels, and so here we are.

• Kabinet-Rutte Gevallen (Rutte's Cabinet Falls)- Dutch-Language Source
• Dutch Coalition Government Quits

Mark Rutte's government has been criticized, especially in Brussels, for lecturing Greece and Portugal on austerity, yet being unable to manage its own budget.

If you ever wondered what a Dutch government resignation letter looks like, wonder no more:

• Mark Rutte's Resignation Letter (pdf)
  

New elections could be held as early as September 2012.