The House of Representatives will debate the Spring Memorandum on Wednesday, the adjustment of the budget for the current year. The fact that the cabinet has not taken any new purchasing power measures for this year, and that the discussion is postponed to the autumn, upsets the opposition. “That is our biggest complaint,” says JA21 leader Eerdmans. “Filling up with petrol and shopping is priceless and will remain unaffordable.”
Eerdmans wants the cabinet to intervene quickly with tax relief: “That should have been on the table by now.” He is not alone in this: major opposition parties such as PvdA, GL and PVV are now demanding an intervention. PVV leader Wilders has put a purchasing power plan of 10 billion on the table, including VAT and excise reductions: “We do not abandon the Dutch, but help them.”
Payment
PvdA and GL have in turn put together a ‘head-over-water package’, including an extra increase in the minimum wage and a benefit of 500 euros for people who receive health care benefits. But the cabinet and the coalition are still holding their ground. Around the coalition and the cabinet, the expectation is that the debate will become ‘shooting’ from the opposition and ‘take bullets’ for the cabinet.
“As Minister of Finance, I have to look at the interests of people and the treasury,” Minister Kaag (Finance) at RTL points out that she does not have money for all wishes. “A list of suggestions is made. I always get it sorted out. But it has to be paid for and we can only spend the money once. We must also dare to tell a very difficult story in difficult times.”
Kaag also emphasizes the more than 6 billion euros that the cabinet has already allocated to ease the pain at the pump and on the energy bill. Coalition circles also point to the concessions that are already being made to the opposition in the Spring Memorandum: the state pension increases along with the increase in the minimum wage, there are no cuts in youth care and the defense budget is significantly increased.
But Eerdmans is not satisfied with it, without changes he says he will vote against the Spring Memorandum, just like PvdA and GL. He points out that the AOW increase is largely paid for by tax increases for the elderly: “That is 2 billion a cigar from its own box.”
According to the JA21 foreman, the purchasing power question is a matter of ‘prioritising’, referring to the tens of billions that are in the nitrogen and climate fund: “Instead of that green grab bag, you can also make money available for tax relief.”