THE HAGUE (AFP) - – The Dutch premier tendered his government's resignation to Queen Beatrix on Saturday after a dispute over the country's Afghan military mission scuppered his ruling coalition.
"Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende this morning offered the resignations of the (12) ministers and deputy ministers of the PvdA (Labour Party) to Her Majesty the Queen," a government statement said.
The move paves the way for early elections in the Netherlands.
In a telephone conversation with Queen Beatrix, who is on vacation in Austria, the prime minister also offered the 12 cabinet positions of his own Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), the majority partner in the coalition, as well as the three held by the smaller Christian Union (CU).
In a statement later on Saturday, the royal palace said the monarch will hold consultations on Monday in The Hague with Balkenende, the leaders of his coalition partners and other key political figures.
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