Far-right Dutch leader says Syrians must return to Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Dutch far-right leader, Geert Wilders, reignited on Monday the refugee debate by asserting that Syria is now safe enough for its nationals to return home.
Wilders, head of the PVV party, known for its staunch anti-immigration stance, took to his official X account to call on the Dutch government to halt the intake of Syrian refugees and start repatriating those without legal residency.
He emphasized that he would be raising this issue during the upcoming discussions on the government’s 2025 budget in September.
“I will propose that the Netherlands declares Syria to be (partly) safe, give no more Syrians permanent residency documents and sends back all the Syrians without residency papers,” he declared.
His remarks come as the PVV, the largest party in Parliament, continues to push for stricter immigration controls.
He called on the Dutch government to close its borders to all new arrivals from Syria.
Wilders urged Marjolein Faber, Minister of Migration, to act swiftly. He claims these steps would not only bolster national security but also ease the country’s ongoing asylum and housing shortages.
In July, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) said over 11,000 Syrians entered The Netherlands in the first half of 2024, marking the largest number of immigrants among non-EU countries.