Dozens of CDA members criticize the party’s asylum and migration policy. They do that in a letter which is addressed to, among others, political leader Wopke Hoekstra and is signed by about seventy councilors, aldermen and administrators, reports the Dutch daily newspaper Tuesday.
The letter refers to the interview Hoekstra recently had with the AD. In addition to statements about the nitrogen plans, he said, among other things, that migration must be ‘substantially’ reduced. In this way, according to the signatories, Hoekstra is shifting responsibility for the problems onto refugees. “It seems logical to blame the people who come here. (…) But it is not the refugee’s fault that we cannot arrange a bed for him or her.”
Criticism of the asylum agreement
The initiators of the letter believe that the national top of the CDA listens too little to the supporters. Several resolutions have been passed at party congresses on themes related to refugees and migration. “Despite these resolutions being passed by large majorities, we have seen very little effect from this.” Members of the coalition party ChristenUnie recently wrote a critical letter to their party leaders about the asylum policy. The VVD will hold a members’ meeting on Tuesday evening.
Also read: Party members CU and D66 critical of the cabinet’s asylum agreements
The cabinet reached an asylum agreement at the end of last week, together with the provinces, the Security Council and the Association of Dutch Municipalities. Extra money will be made for, among other things, emergency shelter and housing for 20,000 status holders, but the agreements must also limit the influx of asylum seekers and thus relieve the overcrowded asylum seekers’ centres. For example, only status holders who have a home are eligible for family reunification. That agreement is sensitive to the supporters of ChristenUnie, D66 and the CDA. The decision to reduce the number of refugees that the Netherlands takes in under the ‘Turkey deal’ is also a bad one.