Border controls for the Netherlands? These major Dutch parties are in favour

Don't forget your passports!

The leaders of PVV and VVD, two of the four political parties in the Dutch government coalition, have expressed that they wish to introduce border controls in the Netherlands.

The remarks follow Germany’s recent decision to introduce passport checks along its borders as of September 16.  

A long-harboured desire 

According to the NOS, PVV leader Geert Wilders and VVD faction leader Dilan Yesilgöz both claim that the intention to introduce border checks actually predates Germany’s recent move.

They maintain that, in fact, the idea was already part of the current Dutch government’s coalition agreement, which the NSC and BBB have also signed.

However, according to Wilders, the plan seemed too complicated to execute. 

That was until he witnessed Germany’s move, which made him think, “‘Gosh, we could have done it too’”.

Now, he wants to follow in Germany’s footsteps — “the sooner the better,” in his words.

What exactly these border checks would look like if implemented has not been elaborated on.

The Netherlands already carries out some border control using random or targeted checks related to specific intelligence. However, making the checks even more regular would require special permission from the EU Commission. 

Not everyone is as enthusiastic 

Regardless of what was or wasn’t written in the agreement, the third biggest party in the coalition, the NSC, might be pulling the brakes.

NSC MP Diederik Boomsma agrees that the Netherlands could have implemented border checks long before they were brought in by Germany. After all, France has also been doing the same thing. 

However, crucially, he also thinks that implementing border checks “is not the ultimate solution,” and the Netherlands should actually focus on strengthening “the EU’s external borders.”

Unsurprisingly, the opposition is also voicing concerns over the PVV and VVD’s intentions, with GL-PvdA arguing that Germany’s move, far from being an example, might be illegitimate. 

For now, the debate rages on. 

What do you think of the Netherlands potentially also introducing border checks? Let us know in the comments below.

Feature Image:Dreamstime
Beatrice Scali 🇮🇹
Beatrice Scali 🇮🇹
Five years after spreading her wings away from her beloved Genova, Bia has just landed at DutchReview as an editorial intern. She has lived in China, Slovenia, Taiwan, and — natuurlijk — the Netherlands, where she just completed her bachelor’s in International Studies. When she’s not reciting unsolicited facts about the countries she’s lived in, she is writing them down. Her biggest dreams include lobbying the Dutch government into forcing oliebollen stands to operate year-round, and becoming a journalist. In this order.

2 COMMENTS

  1. As a legal residents here in NL,I am in favour of this.
    To afford protection to our borders from the illegal movements (weapons,drugs etc.) and people.
    What we call a Homeland security.❤️

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