Analysis
In a televised national address on 20 March 2020, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte warned that the coronavirus pandemic was the biggest crisis the country had faced since the Second World War. He also emphasized that the government would have to take strong public‑health measures, acknowledging that these could have negative economic repercussions. The phrasing in the claim matches the substance of his remarks as reported in multiple reputable news outlets.
Background
During early 2020, the Netherlands, like many nations, grappled with rising COVID‑19 cases and instituted lockdown measures. Rutte’s speech was part of a broader effort to justify strict containment policies and to prepare the public for the economic impact of those policies. His comments reflected the unprecedented nature of the pandemic compared to post‑war crises.
Verdict summary
Mark Rutte did state that COVID‑19 was the biggest crisis since World War II and that drastic health measures were necessary even if they harmed the economy.