From The Independent · · 1m 30s
Dutch coalition fractures over tax deal with opposition
Prime Minister Rob Jetten's three-party minority government faces collapse after his party cut a tax deal with opposition parties, enraging coalition partner the VVD.
In brief
Prime Minister Rob Jetten's three-party minority government faces collapse after his party cut a tax deal with opposition parties, enraging coalition partner the VVD. The Dutch coalition government neared collapse less than nine months into its term after the centrist D66 and Christian Democrats struck a tax deal with…
Coalition near collapse over tax deal
Prime Minister Rob Jetten's three-party minority coalition appeared close to collapse Thursday, less than nine months into its four-year term, after a tax deal angered one coalition party.
D66 and Christian Democrats cut opposition deal
Jetten's centrist D66 party and the center-right Christian Democrats reached a deal Wednesday with opposition parties PRO and Volt to pass a tax package through parliament.
VVD calls deal a coalition breach
The right-wing VVD slammed the tax deal as a bad deal for the Netherlands and a breach of the coalition agreement. VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius said her party was ambushed by the deal.
“a poor proposal. Furthermore, it runs counter to the coalition agreement.”
VVD threatens fundamental reset
Yeşilgöz-Zegerius said if the other coalition partners voted for the deal after Thursday's parliamentary debate, we will at least need a fundamental reset. She did not elaborate on what that meant.
“we will at least need a fundamental reset.”
Coalition collapse could trigger new elections
If the government falls, it would likely pave the way for fresh elections next year, the fifth general election in less than a decade in the politically splintered Netherlands.
What matters most
The Dutch coalition government neared collapse less than nine months into its term after the centrist D66 and Christian Democrats struck a tax deal with opposition parties without the right-wing VVD, which called it a breach of their coalition agreement.
