Dutch PM and government resigns for involvement in "child welfare scandal"

The Dutch government has quit because of a scandal that saw thousands of families wrongfully accused of child welfare fraud. It emerged the tax police wrongly accused families of fraud when claiming child exhibits.

In a national television speech, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said he had told King Willem-Alexander of his decision and pledged his administration to continue work to pay affected parents as soon as possible and battle the coronavirus.

“We are of the same mind that if the entire system has failed miserably, we all must take responsibility, and that has led to the end that I have just offered the king, the resignation of the entire Cabinet,” Rutte said.

Pressure had also been mounting on the Dutch government ahead of a cabinet meeting on Friday where they did set to discuss if they would quit only two months before a planned global election.The move was seen very largely symbolic.

Rutte’s government will remain in office as a caretaker until a new coalition is formed after the March 17 elections in the Netherlands.

The resignation brings to an end to a decade in office for Rutte, although his party is also expected to win the election, putting him first in line for beginning talks to form the next government. If he succeeds in forming a new coalition, Rutte would most true again become prime minister.

The country is currently struggling to implement its COVID-19 response amid thousands of daily epidemics and a slow rollout of coronavirus vaccines.

The Netherlands is the third European range to be thrown into political dilemma this week in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.