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Illegal stay of foreigners will be punishable – surprising vote in the Dutch Tweede Kamer
View of Binnenhof and Hofvijver pond in The Hague [illustrative photo]. Foto: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Dutch parliament (Tweede Kamer) unexpectedly supported the criminalization of illegal stay of foreigners, despite the government lacking a formal majority. This occurred due to the absence of some opposition MPs during the vote (including due to Ketikoti celebrations – the anniversary of the abolition of slavery), without the usual pairing agreement to compensate for absences. MPs also agreed on another controversial amendment: removing refugees' priority in social housing allocation. What do these changes mean for Poles staying illegally in the Netherlands?
Surprising vote in the Tweede Kamer
The House of Representatives adopted an amendment by the anti-immigration PVV party with a vote of 72 : 69, making illegal stay a criminal offense. The absence of three opposition MPs was decisive: Frans Timmermans and Christine Teunissen attended Ketikoti celebrations, and an NSC MP was at a relative's funeral. The customary pairing (agreement to abstain if an opposition MP is absent) was missing. Had everyone been present, the result would likely have been 75 : 75, and the amendment would not have passed.
