The coalition government in the Netherlands has collapsed after its partners failed to agree on extending the Dutch military mission in Afghanistan. After marathon talks, Christian Democratic Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende announced that the Labour Party was quitting the government. The collapse of the government was announced after a 16-hour cabinet meeting.<br/><br/>Mr Balkenende has been considering a Nato request for Dutch forces to stay in Afghanistan beyond 2010. But Labour, the second-largest coalition party opposed the move.<br/><br/>Nearly 2,000 Dutch service personnel have been serving in the southern Afghan province of Uruzgan since 2006. There have been 21 casuallties so far. Their deployment has already been extended once.