News item | 16-09-2025 | 15:39
In 2026, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) is committed to a government that is involved, reliable and decisive. With the focus on Democracy, Groningen, the Caribbean part of the Kingdom and Digitization, BZK wants to work on a government that puts people at the center and is ready for the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Democracy and public administration
In 2026, strengthening the democratic constitutional state and the restoration of the trust of citizens in politics is paramount. BZK is working on good governance through more cooperation between governments and strengthening national security against increasing threats. An open government, which actively shares information, is essential. The government wants to renew and strengthen democracy and will tackle disproportionate hardnesses in policy, legislation and implementation. At the same time, the protection against disinformation and secret influence is being used, and better protection of politicians and officials against threats.
Compensation for short youth care
The cabinet and the VNG have come to joint agreements on the compensation of the incidental deficits 2023 and 2024 in youth care. Municipalities receive 728 million euros from the government, in accordance with the advice of the Van Ark committee. This compensation can be used for the transformation of youth assistance.
60 million euros for early parliamentary election
The Cabinet makes a one -off 60 million euros available to municipalities for the organization of the early parliamentary election on 29 October. The cabinet has decided on this after consultation with the VNG. This one -off reimbursement is additional to the reimbursement that municipalities receive annually through the Municipal Fund for the performance of their statutory duties in organizing elections.
Groningen: lasting recovery and perspective
The repair of damage and strengthening homes in Groningen and Drenthe remains the highest priority, at all costs and as long as necessary. The Groningen law to be submitted to the Chamber will establish the agreements made about the intensification of the honorary debt – caused by the consequences of earthquakes in the gas extraction area. With this law, the government is committing itself to a generation -long involvement in sustainability and offering social and economic perspective in the area. In 2026 there will be more than € 2.5 billion available for a safe Groningen with a future perspective, including more than € 60 million for the social agenda, the first measures of which started last summer. This agenda focuses on supporting young people, poverty alleviation, extra activities in schools (such as culture and music) and accessible help with mental problems. In addition, € 50 million was available in 2026 for economic investments and € 60 million for a possible AI factory. Since 2 September, homeowners can apply for a subsidy for insulating their home in Groningen and Noord-Drenthe. With a total budget of € 1.65 billion for the next ten years, an important step in the extensive sustainability of the housing stock in the region will be tackled
Kingdom relationships: a shared future
In the cooperation with the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, good governance, a strong constitutional state, healthy public finances and economic resilience are central. From this perspective, work is being done on a shared future, with an eye for the local circumstances of all six islands. To support the island authorities of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, the implementing power is strengthened by more than € 4 million. In addition to the € 30 million from 2025, investments are being made in the port of Saba (€ 10 million) and the roads on Bonaire (€ 16 million in 2025 to 2028). The rule of law in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten is also strengthened (€ 68 million) and socio -economic reforms are supported through the land packages (€ 27.6 million). To stimulate the economy, the SME credits guarantee is open to the islands. The Netherlands continues to support Sint Maarten financially with the reconstruction after Hurricane Irma, using the Trustfonds at the World Bank and technical assistance. Up to and including 2028 there is € 24 million available for a revolving fund that supports projects that contribute to food security on all six islands. In addition, € 23 million will be invested in social initiatives and action agendas in 2026 as a follow -up to the apologies for slavery past.
Digitizing future -proof
To tackle the major social challenges, BZK focuses on accelerating digitization. Together with co -authorities and public service providers, the Dutch digitization strategy (NDS) was developed, which was determined by the government in July and will be elaborated in concrete actions and an investment agenda in the coming year. The priorities are the realization of a sovereign government cloud, the better sharing of data and the responsible use of artificial intelligence. In addition, the focus is on improving digital craftsmanship and modernizing digital government services for citizens and companies. In order to guarantee safety and digital autonomy, strengthening of digital resilience and reducing dependence on a limited number of tech companies is included in the NDS as one of the priority. Policy initiatives are also being developed for guaranteeing online children’s rights and combating online discrimination.