Dutch prime minister resigns following government collapse

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
(Image credit: Valeria Mongelli / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte resigned on Saturday, handing the reigns of the Netherlands to a caretaker government and paving the way for a general election later this year.

Rutte met with King Willem-Alexander to formally step aside, with the Dutch monarch accepting his resignation. Having been in office since 2010, Rutte was the longest-serving prime minister in the history of the Netherlands, and his tenure ends amidst an unprecedented government crisis in a country that is typically a pillar of stability.

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Justin Klawans, The Week US

 Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.