JA21 and asylum minister still split on forcing municipalities to take asylum seekers

JA21 leader Joost Eerdmans and asylum minister Bart van den Brink (CDA) held talks on asylum on Thursday but did not settle their disagreement over the compulsion option in the Spreidingswet, the dispersal law.

Eerdmans wants a commitment that municipalities will never be forced to take in asylum seekers. Van den Brink will only say he expects compulsion will not be necessary.

After the talks, the minister said he must implement the law but does not expect to have to force municipalities to provide asylum shelter. "I expect to reach agreement with municipalities," he said. He cannot rule out compulsion.

Eerdmans said JA21 will vote for the cabinet's tax plan only if the compulsion option is not used. "Otherwise they will have to turn to the left," he said.

He confirmed that even if the cabinet grants all of JA21's other wishes, he still wants it in black and white that the compulsion option will not be used.