The Dutch cabinet is due to meet on Wednesday after lawmakers expressed disapproval of Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk while efforts are going on to form a new government coalition, REUTERS QUOTED a government spokeswoman as saying. Some 76 members of parliament, enough for a majority in the 150 seat parliament, adopted a motion of distrust late on Tuesday against Verdonk because she refused to extend a freeze on the expulsion of rejected asylum seekers. The motion may prompt Verdonk, who was involved in a row that caused the Dutch government to collapse in June, to resign. Other ministers from her party, the free market liberal VVD, have also threatened to resign. The government was asked to stop expelling asylum seekers after parliament last month voted on a general pardon for those who sought asylum in the Netherlands before April 2001. Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende's Christian Democrats (CDA) and their current government partner, the VVD, have opposed a general pardon, arguing it would be unfair to those asylum seekers who have already had to leave the country. The CDA and the VVD had also warned that an amnesty could prompt a massive influx of more asylum seekers. Verdonk, who is popular for her hardline stance on immigration, agreed to a freeze on the expulsion of failed asylum seekers last week but said a general pardon could not be carried out. The main opposition Labour party has long supported a general pardon but until elections in November had no majority in parliament for the move to grant amnesty to thousands of asylum seekers, many of whom have been resident in the country for years appealing against expulsion. Labour forged a slim majority with a left-wing alliance of smaller parties, including the Socialist Party, Green Left and Christian Union and the Party for Animals on Nov. 30 in favour of the pardon. Two years ago a centre-right majority in parliament agreed to deport 26,000 asylum seekers over a three year period.
