Coalition leaders resume crisis talks on Jetten cabinet's future

The leaders of D66, VVD and CDA are expected to continue crisis talks on Sunday at the Zwaluwenberg estate in Hilversum, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Rob Jetten said. The future of the cabinet is at stake. The talks began on Saturday; the leaders were due to leave around 19:00 after dinner and resume around 11:00 on Sunday.

The crisis began after D66 and CDA struck a deal with opposition parties PRO and Volt on the tax plan (belastingplan). On Thursday evening a majority of the House approved the tax plan and the PRO and Volt amendment. The VVD, a coalition party, voted against both times.

Jetten and deputy prime ministers Dilan Yeşilgöz (VVD) and Bart van den Brink (CDA) arrived shortly after 11:00 on Saturday. They had already held hours of crisis talks on Friday. Parliamentary leaders Jan Paternotte (D66), Ruben Brekelmans (VVD) and Henri Bontenbal (CDA) joined around 14:45.

DY

Dilan Yesilgöz

Deputy prime minister (VVD) · @DilanYesilgoz

“This can't go on like this. As far as the VVD is concerned, the experiment with this minority cabinet has failed. The VVD joined this cabinet for lower taxes, room for entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses and investments in security. For a strong economy and stable governance. In recent months we have mainly seen a lot of political chaos, precisely in these areas. With an unprecedented escalation last week, in which our two coalition partners, behind our backs, concluded a deal together with the left. Including PvdD and Denk. A deal that, according to the VVD, is bad for entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses. And that has damaged trust within the coalition. As far as we are concerned, this cannot continue in this way either. That is why the VVD believes two things are needed: 1. Substantive correction. To mitigate and prevent the damage to entrepreneurs. 2. Political correction. The political balance must be restored. Too often we now look to the left. The VVD has put these points on the table. This weekend we will continue talking about this.”

Jetten said all three parties aim to continue together, which requires "fundamental talks". Van den Brink said he was hopeful the cabinet would work it out.

Volt leader Laurens Dassen told a party congress that D66 and CDA should stop being blackmailed by the VVD. "As long as the VVD is not prepared to compromise, there is only one possible conclusion: it is impossible to work with this VVD," he said.

The Sunday talk show WNL Op Zondag starts at 08:45, an hour earlier than usual, with a special edition on the crisis. The talk show Renze has added an extra Sunday show.

Jetten will not travel to Sint Eustatius on Sunday because of the "the current political situation", the government press office RVD said. He had been due to attend Statia Day there on Monday, which marks 250 years since the First Salute. The planned onward trip to Sint Maarten has also been cancelled. King Willem-Alexander is still going to Sint Eustatius for the celebration.

After Friday's talks, Yeşilgöz said the minority cabinet "is a failed experiment, and the coalition cannot go on like this". She called the deal with PRO and Volt "very bad" for the Netherlands and an "unprecedented" escalation. The VVD is demanding a correction on substance, to limit the damage to entrepreneurs from the tax plan, and a political one, because, in her words, "there is too much looking to the left". The VVD is staying in the cabinet for now, and the cabinet has not fallen.

Yeşilgöz said reports that the cabinet is carrying on are not correct. She told journalists she first wants clear agreements and the "political balance" in the cabinet restored.