Lawmakers in The Netherlands approved a motion criticising the government for failing to evacuate some Afghans and for missing signs of an imminent Taliban takeover, prompting Foreign Minister Sigrid Kaag to resign.
Lawmakers approved a motion criticising the government for failing to evacuate some Afghans, and for missing signs of an imminent Taliban takeover.
“The House considers that the government has acted irresponsibly. And although I stand by our commitment, I can only accept the consequences of this judgement as the minister with ultimate responsibility,” Kaag said in a statement to parliament.
“In my view on democracy and the culture of our administration, a minister should go if the policy is disapproved. I will therefore submit my resignation as minister of foreign affairs to his majesty the king.”
Kaag said she would stay on as leader of the centre-left D66 party, which is in coalition talks with Prime Minister Mark Rutte after winning the second-most seats in elections in March.
Her resignation comes a day after Britain’s Dominic Raab was demoted from his position as foreign minister over the way he dealt with the situation in Afghanistan.
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