Dutch government holds firm in talks with JA21 over asylum reception

Dutch party leader Joost Eerdmans says the government has refused to rule out compelling municipalities to receive asylum seekers, leaving JA21’s support for next year’s tax plan unresolved.

Eerdmans made the comments after meeting Prime Minister Rob Jetten and asylum minister Bart van den Brink. JA21 has made its support conditional on the government dropping the possibility of using the national distribution law to require municipalities to provide accommodation. “We didn’t get there,” Eerdmans said.

He said he had expected the government to move closer to JA21’s position, but called it “unyielding” on implementing the law. “JA21 can work with it if they move on the point of compulsory asylum reception,” he said. “If they don’t, then it will have to be done with the left.”

Eerdmans said the government had shown more willingness to engage on other JA21 proposals, including measures to keep asylum seekers out of the country or remove them more quickly. An earlier meeting between JA21 and Van den Brink had produced almost the same outcome, according to ANP.