Three opposition parties want NATO tax rise dropped from budget
The three opposition parties will negotiate jointly with the minority cabinet on the tax plan and other budget bills. The cabinet meets them on Friday.
JA21, BBB and SGP said on Thursday that they will now negotiate jointly with the minority cabinet of D66, VVD and CDA. The cabinet is still looking for support for the Belastingplan, the tax plan, and other budget bills. The three offer their votes in return for changes. Their demands cover asylum, nitrogen policy and medical ethics, and they want a substantial tax cut.
They want the tax increase that pays for the NATO spending goal taken off the table. CDA calls it the "vrijheidsbijdrage" (freedom contribution). SGP's demands on surrogacy and abortion policy have become demands of all three parties.
On nitrogen, BBB wants buffer zones around nitrogen-overloaded nature areas halved to a maximum of 250 metres, and the limit of 2.6 cows per hectare of grassland dropped. The cabinet's plan sets buffer zones of 500 to 1,000 metres around the most vulnerable nature. Pro and Volt have said they will withdraw their support for the nitrogen package immediately if it is weakened in any way.
D66 parliamentary leader Paternotte objected to the demands on medical ethics: "We are not going to trade fundamental rights of women for a budget. Medical ethics as a bargaining chip, that is strange."
CDA leader Bontenbal said: "This has not made it easier." The three parties have adopted each other's demands, he said, but the cabinet should keep talking to them, partly to hear how firm the demands are. After the talks the cabinet must show its colours, he said: "My patience is running out."
What happens next
- Friday morning: the cabinet talks to ChristenUnie and 50Plus
- Then to JA21, BBB and SGP, the route through the right
- Finally to Pro and Volt, the route through the left
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Guide: Dutch income tax brackets and rates 2026
Follow the story: Belastingplan
JA21 (Juiste Antwoord 2021)
A Dutch right-wing party, founded in December 2020 after a split in Forum voor Democratie (FvD), by Joost Eerdmans and Annabel Nanninga. It is critical of the European Union and of immigration, and favours lower taxes.
BBB (BoerBurgerBeweging)
BBB is the BoerBurgerBeweging, the Farmer-Citizen Movement, a Dutch political party that focuses on farmers, rural areas and the countryside. It holds seats in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of the Dutch parliament, where it votes on legislation, including the budget bills. Its positions on agriculture and rural issues make it a regular party in debates on those topics.
SGP (Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij)
The SGP is the Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij, the Political Reformed Party, a Dutch party based on orthodox Reformed Protestant principles. It has seats in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of the Dutch parliament, and takes part in votes on legislation and the state budget. It is one of the parties that has traditionally been known for its Christian political platform.
Belastingplan
The Belastingplan is the annual tax bill, the Dutch government's proposal that sets tax rates, tax allowances and other tax measures for the coming year. It is submitted to parliament together with the national budget on Prinsjesdag, the third Tuesday of September, and must be approved by both the Tweede Kamer and the Eerste Kamer. Because it is part of the budget, a cabinet needs a parliamentary majority to get it passed.