Netherlands Crisis Averted as Schoof Survives Vote

The Netherlands dodged an unprecedented political crisis as Prime Minister Dick Schoof and his cabinet survived a no-confidence motion in parliament, a move that could have led to them stepping down.

The trigger for the upheaval was disagreement over imposing tougher measures against Israel because of the war in Gaza, which prompted a center-right party to quit the ruling coalition last week. The controversy escalated when Stephan van Baarle, head of the DENK party, filed the motion. It ultimately failed by a large margin, with only two small parties that hold six of the 150 seats in favor. The outcome of the vote now turns attention to campaigning for snap elections on Oct. 29.