Asylum is not a priority for VVD; the priority is the economy and security.
During the VVD party conference in the city of Nieuwegein, party leader Dilan Yesilgoz emphasized that security and the economy will be the main focus of the party's campaign for the upcoming elections, largely ignoring the issues of asylum and immigration that were a major reason for the recent government collapse.
Yseelghoz confirmed her desire to form a right-wing liberal government after the elections, without specifying the parties she wishes to cooperate with. However, she categorically ruled out cooperation with the PVV party led by Geert Wilders and considered cooperation with GroenLinks-PvdA unlikely.
Yseelchoz emphasized in her speech the importance of protecting the security of the Netherlands and its way of life amid global instability, pointing to the war close to the European continent and the threats posed by Putin, as well as the rise of China as a major technological power. She also expressed her concern about the unpredictable economic and international policies of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Regarding the PVV, Jesselhuys emphasized her party's rejection of any future coalition with Wilders, asserting that anyone who believes that cooperating with him could lead to good policies in the areas of immigration, security, and freedom is mistaken. She said, "I love the Netherlands too much to allow our people's interests to be managed under his leadership."
She also rejected the idea of cooperation with GroenLinks-PvdA, pointing out that the party has come under the influence of a radical left base, which distances it significantly from the party that previously cooperated with VVD. In response to the concerns of VVD leader in Utrecht, Merding, that excluding PVV could leave the party "at the mercy of the left", Yseelghoz considered that this proposal reflects a state of "political poverty", calling for a focus on the party's own vision.
Political journalist at NOS, Joren Jonker, pointed out that Ysekhuz's speech reflects the party's focus on security and the economy, with a near-total absence of issues related to asylum, climate, and green growth, unlike previous election campaigns. At the end of her speech, Ysekhuz warned of the rising polarization that threatens Dutch democracy, stating that the country could turn into a "society of distrust," and called for maintaining a strong democracy, affirming: "Let us stand today and say: Here is the renewed VVD party."