Dutch government resigns after childcare benefits scandal

LONDON — The complete Dutch government collectively resigned on Friday after a scandal involving the mismanagement of childcare funds, which drove 1000’s of households into monetary break.

An investigation revealed in December that tax officers wrongly accused 1000’s of working households of fraud and ordered them to repay childcare benefits between 2013 and 2019. The occasion has been described as an “unprecedented injustice” by some Dutch lawmakers.

The revelation led to the resignation on Thursday of opposition chief Lodewijk Asscher who was the minister in control of social affairs within the earlier administration.

The government led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte, in energy since 2017, selected Friday to collectively depart workplace on the again of the scandal. Rutte, talking at a press convention, stated it will proceed to guide the Covid-19 emergency response with a caretaker standing.

The Netherlands was already resulting from have a brand new parliamentary election in March, however the government’s resignation comes at a tough time. The nation is in nationwide lockdown and has had virtually 1 million Covid-19 infections and 12,875 deaths for the reason that begin of the well being emergency, in accordance with Johns Hopkins University. The Netherlands additionally wants to organize a plan on the way it will revamp the economic system post-pandemic.

Rutte had beforehand stated {that a} government resignation wouldn’t be useful right now because the nation wants stability to cope with the pandemic, Politico reported. However, this isn’t the primary time {that a} Dutch administration has resigned collectively to point out a standard accountability.

The households that have been concerned on this case have filed fees towards 5 politicians this week, together with the present finance minister, Wopke Hoekstra.

Given the proximity of the overall election, ministers might find yourself staying of their roles till voters head to the polls.