The Dutch coalition government collapsed on Saturday over whether to extend the country's military mission in Afghanistan, leaving uncertain the future of its 1,600 soldiers fighting there.
Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende announced that the second largest party in his three-party alliance is quitting, in a breakdown of trust in what had always been an uneasy partnership.
Balkenende made no mention of elections as he spoke to reporters after a 16-hour cabinet meeting in The Hague that ended close to dawn. However, the resignation of the Labor Party - which has demanded the country stick to a scheduled withdrawal from southern Afghanistan - would leave his government in the minority, and political analysts said early elections appeared inevitable.
Balkenende said his center-right Christian Democratic Alliance would continue in office together with the small Christian Union, and would "make available" Labor's cabinet seats. But he did not spell out his intentions.
The coalition, elected to a four-year term, marks its third year in office on Monday.
"Where there is no trust, it is difficult to work together. There is no road along which this cabinet can go further," Balkenende said.
The Dutch debate comes as opinion polls in many troop-providing European countries indicate growing public opposition to sending more soldiers to Afghanistan amid a global financial crisis and shrinking defense budgets.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
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