Jetten skips EU leaders' meeting in Dublin

Prime Minister Rob Jetten will not go to Dublin, where the heads of government of the European Union are meeting on Thursday and Friday. A spokesperson for the prime minister said he is staying away "because of the political situation at the moment".

Jetten has been asked to be in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of parliament, on Thursday morning. A debate on the tax plan (belastingplan) has been added to the agenda at short notice.

The debate follows a deal on the 2027 tax plan, which coalition parties CDA and D66 struck on Wednesday with opposition parties Pro and Volt, without their coalition partner VVD. Under the change, working people would pay somewhat less tax and the rich somewhat more.

The debate falls on the first day of the Dublin meeting, which runs from Thursday to Friday.

CDA leader Henri Bontenbal said only the very rich are asked to contribute, while small savers get slight relief. He said he had held "really a lot of conversations" and found the left-wing route more promising than working with JA21, BBB and SGP.

The VVD has not agreed to the deal and does not want extra taxes on the rich. Bontenbal said he hopes the VVD can live with it. D66 leader Jan Paternotte said he sees no cabinet crisis looming: "Taking responsibility does not mean you always vote the same."

The debate had already ended on Tuesday evening and is being reopened so MPs can discuss the deal. The Tweede Kamer is due to vote on the tax plan and the amendments on Thursday afternoon.

The deal moves a total of €1bn from people with large assets to ordinary people. The left-wing parties originally wanted to raise €1.5bn extra from the wealthy and business owners to ease the burden on workers. Bontenbal said Pro leader Jesse Klaver had given up a lot to reach the agreement.