JA21 and SGP tie budget support to asylum demands
The parties are calling, among other things, for a reassessment of Syrians’ temporary residence permits.
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JA21 and SGP are linking their support for the tax plan to four measures on asylum and migration. Among other things, the parties want to scrap the mandatory nature of the Spreidingswet and have Syrians’ temporary residence statuses reassessed.
JA21 leader Joost Eerdmans presented the demands on Thursday on behalf of JA21 and SGP to Asylum and Migration Minister Bart van den Brink. According to the parties, support for the tax plan depends on a positive response from the cabinet. These are political conditions, rather than measures that have already been decided.
The four demands are ending the compulsion under the Spreidingswet, reassessing the residence status of around 70,000 Syrians, limiting arrivals and moving asylum procedures to a country outside Europe, for example in Africa. Eerdmans told WNL that JA21 expects other right-wing parties to support the initiative as well.
The figure cited refers to temporary residence permits. In answers to the Lower House, the cabinet reported that 70,840 Syrians held such a permit on 1 April 2026. In addition, 5,360 Syrian residence-permit holders had indefinite leave to remain. Legally, those groups do not automatically fall under the same rules.
The cabinet has previously indicated that it wants to reassess temporary permits as soon as this is feasible and legally sustainable. According to the answer to the Lower House, this must take into account the conditions for international protection and individual circumstances. A changed situation in the country of origin therefore does not automatically lead to the withdrawal of every permit.
The demand concerning the Spreidingswet affects municipalities that must provide reception places. JA21 says municipalities should not be able to be forced to do so; supporters of the law, by contrast, point to an even distribution of reception and preventing a few municipalities from bearing the full burden. The cabinet has not repealed the law, and the conditions announced on Thursday do not yet alter the legal situation.
The initiative comes at a time when the minority cabinet needs support from outside the coalition for budget legislation. The eventual influence of JA21 and SGP depends on whether they continue to link their demands to individual budgets and whether other parties join them. There has been no new cabinet decision on feasibility, European rules or possible legal proceedings.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- JA21 and SGP have linked four asylum demands to support for the tax plan.
- The cabinet reported that 70,840 Syrians held a temporary residence permit on 1 April 2026.
- A reassessment of residence statuses is not automatic under the law and, according to the cabinet, must be feasible and legally sustainable.
- The Spreidingswet was not changed by this announcement.
Left
Arguments The government must prioritise individual protection and legal certainty. A collective reassessment of Syrians and the phasing out of municipal reception obligations could lead to arbitrariness, additional proceedings and greater pressure on municipalities that do take responsibility.
Values Equality, international protection, the rule of law and solidarity between municipalities.
Consequences A firm link to the budget could obstruct cooperation and increase uncertainty for residence-permit holders, municipalities and implementing organisations.
Centre
Arguments There is scope for a stricter and more workable approach, but only within European and national law. The institutional route is individual reassessment, better implementation of return policy and a distribution of reception places that does not overburden municipalities.
Values Feasibility, legal certainty, administrative stability and compromise.
Consequences This could increase support for the policy, but would probably deliver the broad change of direction sought by JA21 and SGP less quickly.
Right
Arguments Arrivals must be reduced and temporary protection must genuinely remain temporary. Parties that help the cabinet secure a majority are entitled to attach conditions, including less compulsion for municipalities and faster returns when protection is no longer necessary.
Values National control, order, capacity and democratic oversight of migration policy.
Consequences A stricter policy could ease pressure on reception and integration, but could also clash with European rules, judicial review and implementation capacity.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s core has been confirmed by the current statement from JA21 and WNL and by official parliamentary information. The text clearly distinguishes between political demands and the law currently in force.
- confirmed JA21 and SGP are linking support for the tax plan to four asylum demands. — WNL describes the four conditions and the link to support. source
- confirmed On 1 April 2026, 70,840 Syrians held a temporary residence permit. — Official answer from the Lower House. source
- confirmed The cabinet wants to carry out a reassessment as soon as this is feasible and legally sustainable. — This is stated in the cabinet’s response concerning Syrian residence-permit holders. source
- confirmed The announced demands have not yet changed the Spreidingswet. — The sources report a political demand, not an adopted amendment to the law. source
Editor's note
The four demands and the number of temporary Syrian residence permits are certain. It is uncertain whether the cabinet will agree to them; no decision on this was yet known.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- De Telegraaf — „asiel migratie”
- AD — „asiel migratie”
- de Volkskrant — „asiel migratie”