Today's headlines in international media ..

Dutch opposition parties have called a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Mark Rutte for Monday [_link]

— Bloomberg (@business) July 9, 2023

It appears Rutte has lost the media narrative ... he is finished as this will damage his carefully sculpted image. The opposition wants Rutte out of office as he has used "het Torentje" as pulpit to promote himself and the VVD during campaigning. Rutte even got a weekly presentation on national television on the state of affairs. Unheard of in a democracy.

Rutte says he's not to blame for Cabinet's collapse, but coalition parties say otherwise

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the "firmness" he showed this week during discussions with other Cabinet was not constructive, but that was not the reason for this fourth Cabinet's collapse on Friday. He does not blame himself, saying only that he "could have presented his objections more kindly."

[...]
Other parties did point their finger at the current VVD leader for the collapse of the Cabinet. CDA party chairman Pieter Heerma called his attitude bordering on reckless and "irresponsibly harsh," when speaking to Nieuwsuur.

Rutte put pressure on the negotiations by grilling ChristenUnie over there position on the influx of asylum seekers, and threatening a rare roll call vote during the Council of Ministers meeting over the matter, sources said. Heerma thinks that "borders on reckless politics".

Mark Rutte hands in resignation as Dutch government collapses over asylum row | The Guardian - July 8, 2023 |

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