THE HAGUE, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Dutch government presented its governing program on Friday, which aims to address key national challenges, such as the housing shortage and growing concerns over immigration and asylum.

In a televised address, Prime Minister Dick Schoof stressed the urgency of immediate action, promising to tighten border checks soon to curb the influx of immigrants.

"Get to work," Schoof said. "For too long, people have not felt heard. The ambitions are great, but so are the problems."

One of the central issues highlighted by Schoof is the housing shortage, with the government pledging to build 100,000 homes annually.

According to Statistics Netherlands, there is a shortage of around 315,000 homes in the country. The government has promised to provide 5 billion euros (about 5.55 billion U.S. dollars) to build sufficient affordable homes in the coming years.

Immigration and asylum policy is also high on the agenda. "We can no longer bear the influx of asylum seekers," Schoof said. "We can no longer keep up. That is why we will soon introduce emergency measures, including extra checks at the border."

Under the proposed plan, the Minister of Asylum and Migration Marjolein Faber, in collaboration with the Prime Minister's office, will activate an emergency law as soon as possible by declaring an asylum crisis.

However, Schoof did not provide specific details on what constitutes an asylum crisis, noting, "We still have to work that out."

The emergency law would allow the government to immediately implement measures to limit asylum seeker numbers without prior approval from the House of Representatives or the Senate, although these bodies would assess the law afterwards.

Schoof also revealed plans to request an opt-out from European asylum rules in Brussels next week, while affirming the Netherlands' role as a constructive EU partner, with the aim of achieving "our own goals."

In addition to domestic priorities, the program outlined the Netherlands' commitment to international affairs, including reaffirming its continued support for Ukraine "politically, militarily, financially, and morally."

It also committed to allocating at least 2 percent of the country's GDP to defense spending.

Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the government reiterated its support for a two-state solution and emphasized its goal of a "sustainable solution supported by both parties."

It also vowed to focus on addressing "serious humanitarian needs in the Gaza Strip" and ensuring the release of all hostages.

Later this year, the government will present a detailed plan to "accelerate resilience against military and hybrid threats." This initiative will strengthen the country's armed forces while engaging citizens, businesses, and organizations to raise awareness of the growing risks to national security.

The financial details of the government's program will be revealed next week when it presents its budget plan for the coming year. Enditem

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