Dutch cabinet's future in doubt after VVD rejects tax plan

Prime Minister Rob Jetten (D66) and deputy prime ministers Dilan Yeşilgöz (VVD) and Bart van den Brink (CDA) arrived at the De Zwaluwenberg estate near Hilversum on Saturday morning, shortly after 11.00. They are continuing talks on the cabinet crisis. The talks are expected to go on into Sunday.

The crisis began after D66 and CDA struck a deal with opposition parties PRO and Volt on the tax plan (belastingplan). The VVD parliamentary party did not back the plan on Thursday evening because it could not accept the amendments, which included more tax on wealth. The House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) passed the amended plan only narrowly.

Parliamentary leaders Jan Paternotte (D66), Ruben Brekelmans (VVD) and Henri Bontenbal (CDA) also take part in Saturday's talks.

Three different tones

After hours of consultation on Friday evening, Jetten said the conversation between the coalition partners was "not over yet". He wants to keep talking about a serious restart and said cooperation in the cabinet must improve "in substance, politically and personally".

Yeşilgöz, who is also defence minister, called the minority cabinet a "failed experiment". "We cannot go on as we are," she said. She wants a course correction and a political one.

Van den Brink, who is also migration minister, was less specific. He said "an awful lot has happened" and that talks would continue intensively in the coming days.

This weekend should show whether trust inside the minority coalition can be restored and, if so, what a restart could look like.