Dutch government resigns over child benefit scandal

ANKARA

The Dutch government resigned Friday, rocked by a childcare benefit scandal.

The four-party coalition collapsed after a report said some Dutch officials, including some government ministers, civil servants, and even judges, wrongfully accused thousands of families of defrauding the tax office over welfare benefits between 2013 and 2019.

Using the false fraud accusations, the government had demanded repayment of tens of thousands of euros, pushing accused families into financial ruin.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who has been in office since 2010, opposed dissolving the coalition, saying the country needs “stability” during the coronavirus outbreak.

Several reports said that the ministers will stay in a caretaker capacity until general elections to choose a new parliament to be held on March 17.