Parliament votes Thursday on 2027 tax plan and box 3 changes

The Tweede Kamer votes on Thursday 12 November on the 2027 tax package (Belastingplan) and on the cabinet's amendment (novelle) to the bill on taxing real returns in box 3. The debate continued on Tuesday, and state secretary Eelco Eerenberg took part. Parties kept negotiating the following day.

Parliament and government aim to have the budget and the tax package adopted by both the Tweede Kamer and the Eerste Kamer before 1 January.

Finance minister Eelco Heinen sent MPs a letter with amendments to the tax package and box 3 on 3 November, and the finance committee discussed it on 9 November. The debate began with the planned expansion of the capital gains tax (vermogenswinstbelasting). Parties could submit amendments until 14:00 on Wednesday. On Thursday MPs vote on them, and a few hours later on the whole package.

MPs complained they have one day to read all the amendments. “Everything is up in the air, we are all in limbo,” said MP Mona Keijzer. ChristenUnie MP Pieter Grinwis called it “the most uncertain handling of a tax plan I have experienced”. Eerenberg urged parties to “look at what is on the table with a new day and fresh courage”.

Opposition parties Pro and Volt want the cabinet to take their route: €1.5bn taken from people with large assets, in exchange for their support, to lower tax on labour. Coalition parties VVD, D66 and CDA oppose this, as do several opposition parties, so the proposal has no majority.

A motion of no confidence in the cabinet from Gidi Markuszower, who leads Groep Markuszower, a group of PVV breakaways, failed. Other MPs reacted with surprise because Markuszower had worked with the cabinet the week before.