In the Netherlands, the unexpected resignation of Secretary of State Nora Achahbar has thrown the ruling Schoof cabinet into turmoil.
Her announcement, made Friday after the Council of Ministers meeting, stemmed from what she described as inappropriate remarks by cabinet members targeting individuals with migration backgrounds. This controversy followed an incident where Amsterdam Muslim youth harassed Jewish residents after a football match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
A source revealed to RTL News, “The Council of Ministers was suspended an hour ago. Ministers are sitting in their own circles, waiting to see what’s next. Everything hinges on whether NSC will continue supporting this cabinet, and even they don’t seem ready to give a clear answer.” Reporter Sam Hagens echoed these concerns on X, saying party leaders are gathering at the Catshuis to salvage the government.
Achahbar, representing NSC and responsible for Surcharges, is not the first NSC member to exit abruptly—Secretary of State Folkert Idsinga resigned earlier this month amid scrutiny over undisclosed stock holdings. Insiders suggest more resignations from her party could follow, possibly toppling the cabinet prematurely.
If the Schoof cabinet collapses, it would mark one of the shortest-lived administrations in Dutch parliamentary history, surviving just 137 days—only narrowly outlasting the Zijlstra transition cabinet of the 1960s.
The coalition’s struggles have been fueled by internal divisions, particularly and most recently, over the Jewish-Arab clashes in Amsterdam days ago. Geert Wilders, the anti-immigration PVV leader and a key figure in forming the current government, has publicly attacked the cabinet for what he calls a weak response to rising antisemitism. He’s demanded harsher measures, including stripping the perpetrators of their Dutch citizenship—a stance supported by PVV, VVD, and BBB but met with silence from the liberal NSC.
Achahbar, who has Moroccan roots and a legal background as a prosecutor, lawyer, and deputy judge, joined the cabinet in July. Her resignation has drawn mixed reactions. Opposition leader Frans Timmermans of PvdA/GL praised her decision, stating, “Racist statements are commonplace in this cabinet. It’s right for her to draw the line. This government isn’t for all Dutch people, and that erodes the already fragile trust in society. A debate is urgently needed.”
Despite hours of crisis talks at the Catshuis on Friday, insiders reported that while Achahbar’s departure is confirmed, other NSC ministers will stay, allowing the Schoof cabinet to limp forward for now.
