“This is special, the first Council of Europe, but I have met many colleagues in various places over the last three or four months. That’s why it feels like coming home,” Prime Minister Dick Schoof said Thursday morning at the Europa Building in Brussels, where European government leaders are meeting for a summit.
For fourteen years, Mark Rutte was prime minister representing the Netherlands on the Council of European Heads of Government. He came to Brussels more than a hundred times to attend such summits. Gradually his status grew, as one of Europe’s most experienced and agile leaders.
Now for the first time, Dick Schoof is ‘on the ropes’, the rope that separates media leaders and government – a debutante leading a chaotic coalition at home. When the European summit finishes, he must immediately return to The Hague to avoid a crisis over the emergency asylum law.
Unlike other leaders, he did not come from one of the major European political families, such as the Social Democrats, Christian Democrats, or Liberals. But he didn’t find it strange, he said. He has spoken to many people and feels great interest in the new Dutch cabinet, especially its tough migration policies.
However, Dick Schoof made his presence felt at his first European Council. On Wednesday he was one of the speakers at a meeting between European heads of government and Gulf leaders. On Thursday morning, he held meetings with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in preparation for a European summit the following day.
“The three of us did that because we think migration is important. The Dutch have a lot of ambition there,’ said Schoof. Italy and Denmark have long been known for their tough migration policies. “It’s great that the Netherlands can join these countries,” said Schoof. ‘The three of us are the driving force to see if new proposals can be developed.’
‘Innovative solution’
A term often used at these European Summits is ‘innovative solutions’. For example, since this week, Italy has been bringing asylum seekers with little chance of success to Albania. Denmark brings failed asylum seekers who have committed crimes to Kosovo. On Wednesday evening, Dutch Minister Reinette Klever unveiled a failed plan to send asylum seekers to Uganda. A regional ‘centre’ could be set up there, where asylum seekers would be sent back to their countries of origin.
“This is a serious idea,” Schoof said. ‘But there are many obstacles. There are several member states who believe that you should have such a hub in the region.” However, the Prime Minister emphasized that the plan still needs to be studied carefully. “This must be in accordance with international regulations and agreements, which are also the basic principles of Dutch policy,” he said. “We also have to look at human rights. But we also have to think outside the box. Not only looking at what is impossible, but also at what is possible.’
During initial consultations with Italy and Denmark, an Italian idea was also discussed to cooperate with Syrian President Assad so that Syrian asylum seekers can safely return to Syria voluntarily, a source said. According to the source, Schoof took a moderate position in this consultation compared to Meloni and Frederiksen.
Participate in discussions and do business
Schoof’s cabinet government program combined Euroscepticism with cooperative efforts in Europe. The government wants an opt-out, so that it no longer has to participate in European migration policy. But as long as there is no such resistance – and this will not happen for now – the government wants to focus on the European Migration Pact, which will come into force in 2026.
“The Migration Pact must be implemented with full force,” Schoof said. “We have all signed it. We cannot suddenly do something else and not implement the Migration Pact. This pact is important to tackle migration, but it does not prevent us from coming up with new ideas.’
For now, Schoof does not prefer confrontation, like Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, for example. He wants to participate in discussions and do business in Brussels. During his first intervention in the Council of European Heads of Government, he assured Ukraine of the Netherlands’ ‘unwavering support’. In this there is continuity with Rutte.
Therefore, Schoof did not ‘pound his fist on the table’ in Brussels, as BBB leader Caroline van der Plas suggested in the election campaign. The Dutch think they can achieve more with a constructive attitude. This week it was announced via NOS that a Tactics and Timing Steering Group has been set up to examine how Dutch interests in Brussels can be promoted through consultations.
To the right
What makes Schoof’s position as Prime Minister of a cabinet with a large radical right-wing contribution easier is the fact that Europe has moved to the right in the past year. In the last few months alone, the AfD won state elections in Germany, the FPÖ triumphed in Austria, and France’s new government relied on the tolerant support of Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National. Europe is changing: taboos are rapidly eroding.
Therefore, there is much interest in stricter migration policies. Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Malta, Estonia, Cyprus and the Czech Republic participated in the preparatory meeting of the Netherlands, Italy and Denmark. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, was also present.
“It is very important that Von der Leyen joins us. This means the Commission also views migration differently,” Schoof said. Von der Leyen also made arguments in her letter this week about a regional ‘hub’ for receiving asylum seekers outside Europe. Schoof: ‘We see a different atmosphere in Europe. That was the line the Dutch chose. Trying to reduce the influx. Speeding up the return of asylum seekers who have exhausted their legal remedies. This is really happening in Europe.’
On Thursday evening, Dick Schoof will appear again ‘on the ropes’ to speak to reporters. He was satisfied, he said. No decisions have been taken, but there is movement in the direction suggested by the Netherlands. But what are the chances that his first summit will also be his last, as a missionary prime minister? Could the crisis in The Hague have been prevented? “I am confident in this collaboration. I assume we can solve this problem together.’
