D66 is moving towards the Canadian model to solve the refugee crisis
The leader of the D66 party, Rob Jetten, announced that his party is tightening its stance on immigration policy in preparation for the upcoming elections in October. He explained in an interview with AD newspaper that "the current immigration system is broken," calling for the adoption of what he described as the "Canadian model," where asylum applications are processed outside the borders of the European Union.
In an interview with AD newspaper, Khatin said: "We must move from migration that imposes itself on us to migration that we control. Not only for the citizens concerned about the influx of migrants but to ensure the fairness of the entire system." Therefore, the party is reshaping its immigration policies as the October elections approach, inspired by the Canadian model, where asylum applications are processed outside the borders of the European Union, or refugees are allowed to come through official invitations.
Currently, the Netherlands is receiving up to 500 recognized refugees from the UNHCR. The party hopes that this method will play a larger role in the future, although it has not yet specified new numbers. Khtin hopes that this system will lead to a fair distribution of asylum seekers who obtain permits within Europe, thereby reducing dangerous crossing attempts across the Mediterranean or through smuggling routes.
Although these proposals are not entirely new, the new European migration agreement that will come into effect next year also stipulates that asylum applications should be processed at the external borders of Europe. Khatin also pointed to the need to reconsider existing international treaties, even though his party voted last week against a parliamentary proposal put forward by Claudia van Zanten (BBB) and Diederik Boomsma (NSC) to explore the possibility of amending those treaties. The party justified its position by stating that it wants to follow its own plan, indicating that its goal in amending the treaties is to achieve greater justice, not just to reduce the flow of refugees.
Khetin emphasized that the discussion about improving the asylum system has been ongoing for years, with little to show for it. More than one Dutch government has fallen due to asylum issues, including the Rutte IV government, which during its term rejected the stricter laws proposed by the VVD. Khetin asserts that the solution must come from the "center," as both the left and right parties cling to their positions without real progress.
At the same time, he acknowledges that amending treaties may take a long time, so he sees the necessity of taking immediate steps. Among those steps is his call to send troublesome asylum seekers or those with slim chances to closed centers, saying: "You are coming to a country based on liberal values. If you do not respect them, you have to lose some rights."