Migration will, according to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, be one of the main focal points in the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Netherlands, scheduled for spring 2021. The Prime Minister stated this in his traditional Christmas interview with De Telegraaf. In doing so, he elevates a European issue to a priority in domestic politics.
The liberal Rutte advocates that Europe should indeed accept refugees who are in distress, but no longer admit asylum seekers in entry procedures who have no chance of being granted asylum. He is bothered by the fact that some EU countries on Europe's external borders let all refugees and asylum seekers pass unchecked.
The admission of several million refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from the Middle East and North Africa, has been a divisive issue between European countries over the past five years. Some Eastern European countries refuse to accommodate asylum seekers in their towns and cities, while several Southern European countries let asylum seekers travel through unhindered and unregistered.
The Prime Minister does not name countries in the interview but likely refers mainly to countries such as Poland, Hungary, Austria, Greece, Italy, and Spain. Ignoring the controls could, according to Rutte, endanger the continuation of the Schengen Agreement. Critics say the agreement no longer functions or effectively exists. Under this agreement, European countries made agreements on the free movement of persons between member states.
"The countries on the external borders must distinguish between genuine asylum seekers and economic migrants who have no place in Europe. The latter group should not be allowed to pass through. If this does not happen, then you cannot continue with Schengen," Rutte said.
The Prime Minister cannot say whether the Schengen Agreement will actually be terminated if nothing changes. "I’m not saying we will abolish Schengen, but Schengen is indeed at risk. Solidarity is a fundamental agreement within Schengen."
If the Schengen Agreement is terminated, this could mean the return of border controls. Rutte would prefer this not to happen.
The Dutch Prime Minister’s plea is also seen by observers as a response to the rise and growth of right-wing populist political parties in the Netherlands. The Netherlands has long been home to the large anti-Muslim party PVV of Geert Wilders. Since last year, the Forum for Democracy (FvD) has joined, strongly opposing all forms of foreign influence in the Netherlands. PVV and FvD are considered strongly anti-European.
These two parties have joined various coalitions with far-right and strongly nationalist parties. In provincial elections earlier this year, the FvD almost immediately became the largest party.