ISTANBUL

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof offered his resignation to the king on Tuesday after the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) withdrew from the ruling coalition on Tuesday.

Schoof announced during a news briefing that he would offer his resignation to King Willem-Alexander on behalf of the Cabinet, according to local media.

"If one party lacks the will, you can't move forward," the premier said, according to Dutch broadcaster RTL.

Finding the collapse of the government "irresponsible and unnecessary," Schoof said there had been "insufficient support" for the Cabinet.

Schoof reaffirmed that the rest of the Cabinet, including the conservative VVD, centrist NSC, and farmers’ party BBB, would continue in a "caretaker capacity" until a new one was formed.

"We will continue undeterred with the three parties. This country has major problems, so decisiveness is required. For citizens who are concerned about their homes and their wallets. And for getting a grip on migration. That requires decisiveness, not procrastination. So, as a caretaker cabinet, we will do everything that is in the best interests of the country, within the scope that parliament allows us," he added.

Although a specific date is yet to be decided, elections are expected between late September and November, according to media reports.

The king later announced in a statement that he received Schoof after his resignation announcement.

"The outcome of the deliberations is that the ministers and state secretaries affiliated with the PVV have tendered their resignations to the King. The Prime Minister and the other ministers and state secretaries have placed their portfolios or offices, respectively, at the disposal of the King," it said.

It noted that the duties of the ministers who resigned would be "temporarily" taken over by other ministers in the Cabinet.

"With regard to the Prime Minister and the other ministers and state secretaries, the King has considered their resignation and requested that they continue to perform all duties they deem necessary in the interests of the Kingdom," the statement added.

The government collapsed Tuesday after PVV withdrew from the ruling coalition because of unresolved disagreements on asylum and migration policy.

The coalition partners, the conservative VVD, centrist NSC and farmers’ party BBB, failed to reach an agreement with PVV leader Geert Wilders, who had demanded sweeping restrictions on Dutch asylum and migration policies.​​​​​​​