Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his cabinet resigned after the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration accused tens of thousands of families of claiming welfare payments (money paid by the government to someone who is in need of it) and demanded repayments.
Some families were forced to repay large amounts of money immediately, leading to families having no money at all and even divorces.
Rutte and his cabinet took full responsibility for the scandal as they were in power while it happened.
Rutte submitted his and his cabinet’s resignation to King Willem-Alexander van Oranje on Jan. 15, about two months before March 17, which is when the parliamentary elections are scheduled for, so they will still keep running the country in a caretaker capacity without the need for special elections.
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