Geert Wilders decries Dutch asylum system as Ter Apel reaches crisis point

The asylum reception centre in Ter Apel, northern Netherlands, has exceeded its capacity, housing about 2,300 people in a facility designed for 2,000. The COA has introduced a "controlled access" scheme that admits only the most vulnerable, while a court‑imposed fine for overcrowding has already hit the €5 million ceiling.

PVV leader Geert Wilders responded by saying the entire asylum system is collapsing and called for an immediate halt to arrivals. He linked the pressure to a new policy that will make Ter Apel the sole registration point for all asylum seekers from 12 June, a change mandated by the European Migration Pact.

Earlier in the week, Wilders visited the village of Engelen to back residents protesting a planned accommodation centre for 50 unaccompanied minor refugees in a former police station. He urged local authorities to protect neighbourhood safety, warned of intimidation and violence, and appealed for a peaceful, non‑violent protest while demanding the mayor stand with the community.