ROTTERDAM, 12/11/03 - The Labour (PvdA) party on Rotterdam city council has taken a remarkable position. Accepted asylum-seekers would no longer be welcome in the city, under a 12-point plan presented yesterday.

The Rotterdam PvdA wants the government to change the regulations such that accepted asylum-seekers have "A limited choice" of where they can locate, with Rotterdam "naturally" not among the possibilities. The party states that asylum-seekers now often refuse housing offered in smaller municipalities and seek their refuge in cities like Rotterdam. The PvdA also wants to discourage 'import weddings' and require underage youngsters from the Netherlands Antilles to live in a boarding school.

The PvdA has been in opposition in Rotterdam since Pim Fortuyn won the local elections with flying colors with his Liveable Rotterdam party on 6 March 2002 and formed a coalition with the Christian democrats (CDA) and conservatives (VVD). This coalition earlier caused a sensation by being the first to propose not admitting any more immigrants to the city. The PvdA is now anticipating plans this coalition will present later this month.

The Rotterdam PvdA's position is particularly remarkable as the party nationally has for years been very prudent in addressing the problems of immigration. However, the PvdA in the Lower House is by no means the only party to be cautious on the distribution of immigrants. So far, only the Socialist Party (SP) has ardently urged a debate on the subject.