Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s liberal government resigned yesterday after the collapse of its parliamentary partnership with a far-right party, paving the way for early elections.

The Premier, who had been under pressure for weeks, tendered his Cabinet’s resignation at a two-hour afternoon meeting with Queen Beatrix at her Hague palace.

A few minutes after Mr Rutte left the palace, the Dutch government’s information service said in a statement: “Prime Minister Mark Rutte has offered to her Majesty the Queen the resignation of all ministers and deputy ministers with immediate effect. The Queen is considering the resignation, but has asked all ministers and deputy ministers to continue to do everything that is necessary in the interests of the kingdom.”

The resignation had been widely expected since the weekend when Mr Rutte acknowledged that a rift with anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party would likely lead to early elections, otherwise due in May 2015.

Although not part of the ruling coalition, Mr Wilders’ party had effectively guaranteed the government’s majority for the last 18 months by agreeing to support it in Parliament.

That arrangement came to an abrupt halt at the weekend when talks on a new package of austerity measures foundered.

A debate has now been scheduled for 2 p.m. today before the Lower House in which Mr Rutte is expected to address MPs.

“The ball is now in Parliament’s court,” Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager told reporters, adding that he hoped to have “more clarity” today on the austerity package, for which Brussels gave an April 30 deadline.

Mr Rutte’s liberal VVD party, its coalition partner the Christian Democrats and Mr Wilders’ Freedom Party had been negotiating on a near-daily basis, in private, for seven weeks but divisions were made public when Mr Wilders walked out on Saturday.

The turmoil has raised fears that the Netherlands’ gold plated triple A credit rating could be in danger.