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donderdag, juni 29, 2006
 
Dutch Cabinet resigns

his evening, prime minister Jan-Peter Balkenende announced that his cabinet will resign. Last night the Liberal-democratic faction D66 supported a no- confidence motion of the opposition against immigration minister Rita Verdonk, on her handling of the nationality of former parliamentarian Ayaan Hirsi Ali. The motion was not supported by the majority. Coalition parties of the Christian Democrats (CDA) and Conservative- liberals (VVD) with the support of small right wing parties, blocked the motion.

D66 leader in parliament Lousewies van der Laan demanded the resignation of minister Verdonk. After the cabinet decided that the minority motion didn’t effect the government, the Lib-dem party leader withdrew her support of the cabinet. Lib-dem ministers Pechtold and Brinkhorst announced their resignation. They could no longer share responsibility with Immigration minister Verdonk.

Prime minister Balkenende will visit the Queen tomorrow morning to offer his resignation. The Christian-democrats and Liberals of the VVD support a minority government to handle the budget in September, the sending of troops to the Afghan province Uruzgan this summer and to bring forward the elections of may 2007 to late this year.

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