Deputy Finance Minister Nora Achabal abruptly resigned in protest over alleged racist comments by some ministers.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schuch’s right-wing coalition government remained in place despite the resignations of cabinet ministers over allegations of racist comments related to clashes between Israeli soccer fans and Palestinian supporters in Amsterdam.
Deputy Finance Minister Nora Achabal said on Friday that some politicians, including far-right leader Geert Wilders, accused a young Moroccan-Dutch man of attacking Israeli fans during last week’s match between Dutch sides Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv. He suddenly resigned from the cabinet to protest the allegations.
In his resignation letter to parliament, the Moroccan-born Achabal said: “The polarizing exchanges of the past few weeks have affected me so much that I am no longer able to effectively carry out my duties as deputy minister.”
Schauf’s coalition is led by the Wilders Freedom Party (PVV), which won the most seats in the general election a year ago. After months of tense negotiations, a new government was formed in July.
Following Achabal’s resignation, an emergency meeting was held and other ministers from his centrist party, the New Social Contract (NSC), also threatened to resign.
Had that happened, the coalition would have lost its majority in parliament. The NSC is a junior partner in a four-party coalition government.
“I have come to the conclusion that I want to remain in the cabinet for all Dutch people,” Schauf told a news conference in The Hague late Friday.
“There’s a lot of turmoil going on in this country. It’s been an emotional week, a heavy week, a lot has been said, a lot has happened,” Schauf said of “the events in Amsterdam last week.” Ta.”
But he added: “There has never been any racism within my government or within the coalition parties.”
Earlier, Mr Schauf blamed the violence on people with “migrant backgrounds”, saying they did not share “fundamental Dutch values”.
Wilders, who is not a cabinet minister, has repeatedly said that the main attackers of Israeli fans were young Moroccan-Dutch men, but police have not disclosed the backgrounds of the suspects.
Dutch authorities also said Israeli fans incited violence before the match by setting a Palestinian flag on fire, chanting anti-Arab slurs and vandalizing taxis and homes displaying Palestinian flags.
Achabal, a former judge and prosecutor, felt that comments made by several politicians were potentially harmful and racist, De Volksland newspaper reported daily.
On Monday, during a cabinet meeting to discuss the riots, “according to reports, the situation escalated and, in Mr. Achabal’s opinion, racist remarks were made,” public broadcaster NOS said.
