Dutch government under pressure to tackle racism after Cabinet resignation

By Selman Aksunger

HAGUE, Netherlands (AA) — Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof is facing mounting criticism to address allegations of racism within his government after Nora Achahbar, state secretary for benefits and customs, resigned last Friday, citing racist remarks made during Cabinet meetings.

Achahbar, who is of Moroccan descent, stepped down following violent clashes in Amsterdam earlier this month in the wake of a UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv. The incidents reportedly involved Israeli fans tearing down Palestinian flags, attacking Arab taxi drivers, and chanting inflammatory slogans.

She said the discriminatory rhetoric during subsequent Cabinet discussions prompted her resignation.

- Call for transparency

Rabin Baldewsingh, the Dutch national coordinator against discrimination and racism, has urged Schoof to release Cabinet meeting records to substantiate his repeated claims that racism does not exist within the government.

"Otherwise, he will lose his credibility," Baldewsingh told Anadolu. He criticized the lack of leadership from Schoof, urging him to either prove the absence of racism or acknowledge the issue and take responsibility.

“The prime minister should stand up now as a leader and say, ‘I’m going to show you that this really has not happened’,” he added.

Baldewsingh also highlighted the broader implications of systemic discrimination in Dutch politics. He cited an EU report from October showing that 46% of European Muslims feel discriminated against.

A 2020 Dutch study revealed that 55% of Muslims in the Netherlands reported similar experiences, with the figure rising to 69% when including those uncertain about their encounters, he added.

After the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the US, Baldewsingh said, discrimination, racism, and Islamophobia in the Netherlands have become “not only epidemic, but … also institutionalized.” Pointing out that entrenched biases in political discourse make combating discrimination increasingly difficult, he noted that such rhetoric is not confined to right-wing politics but “permeates across party lines.”

“This has to stop,” he said, warning that incidents like these are deeply harmful to society.