Outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte is no longer available as a leader of the VVD in the upcoming parliamentary elections. When a new cabinet takes office after the parliamentary elections next fall, Rutte will leave politics.
That is what Rutte said this morning at the start of the debate in the House of Representatives on the fall of the cabinet.
“There has been speculation in recent days about what would motivate me,” says Rutte, referring to the quarrel in the coalition about asylum policy, which he would have personally brought to a head. “The only answer is: the Netherlands. My position is completely subordinate to that.”
On Friday evening, the cabinet, consisting of VVD, CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie, fell. Today the House of Representatives will meet to debate the fall of the cabinet.
Mark Rutte has been prime minister since 2010, and since 2006 he has been leading the list for the VVD in parliamentary elections. He wants to stay on as outgoing prime minister for the time being