Municipalities and provinces urge The Hague to avoid cabinet crisis
Government bodies, farmers, a trade union, housing corporations and schools say new elections would not help residents. They want the parties to settle the dispute over the tax plan themselves.
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Illustrative photo: RobVanDerMeijden / Pixabay Content LicenseMunicipalities, provinces and water boards have joined civil society groups in a joint statement saying they are "deeply concerned" about the political situation in The Hague. It was published on 12 November. Besides the VNG and the IPO, which speaks for the twelve provinces, it is signed by the Unie van Waterschappen, farming organisation LTO, Natuurmonumenten, trade union CNV, housing corporation association Aedes and several education organisations.
The groups say the statement responds to the political situation around the tax plan (belastingplan). The education signatories are the MBO-raad, VO-Raad, PO-raad, Vereniging Hogescholen and Universiteiten Nederland.
"After years of stagnation, which left problems unresolved, the country is yearning for solutions," they write. "A cabinet crisis or yet another election isn't going to help our residents."
The signatories point to local and provincial politics, where there are no early elections and parties find a way to agree. "We call on the cabinet and all parties in the Tweede Kamer to do the same, by taking responsibility and sorting it out among themselves," the statement says.
They say what is at stake ranges "from nature and farming to the housing market", and from education and workers to regional and local authorities. "We urgently need clarity and progress in this country," they write, ending with: "Solve this together."
Source: Aedes
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