Coalition in The Hague divided over wealth tax
A split within Prime Minister Rob Jetten's three-party minority coalition government is looming in the Netherlands. The bone of contention is a key point in the planned tax reform: Jetten's D66 party passed the 'millionaire tax', which increases taxes for wealthy individuals, with the support of the red-green opposition party Pro, but against the wishes of its right-wing liberal coalition partner, the VVD. The VVD then withdrew its support for the tax reform as a whole.
A country held hostage
The conflict is unproductive and harmful, NRC fumes:
“The fact that this debate has been dominating politics in The Hague for months and absorbing all the attention and energy is disproportionate and irresponsible. ... Whether or not the coalition ultimately finds a magical solution – mutual trust in parliament has sunk to an all-time low. And that is also not good for the Netherlands. The people don't want politics that leads to a crisis over every difference of opinion. They need politicians who are willing to assume responsibility. The country can no longer be held hostage by their internal squabbles.”
False priorities
Volkskrant columnist Jarl van der Ploeg sees VVD leader and Defence Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz as the main culprit:
“Woe betide the country that is menaced week in, week out by Russian cyberattacks and bomb threats, yet whose VVD Defence Minister only shows any real fighting spirit when it comes to protecting a handful of millionaires. ... Woe betide the country where the most prominent female politician is only too happy to collaborate with parties that spread neo-Nazi theories about remigration but sees Jesse Klaver [the red-green opposition leader] as too radical simply because he wants those with more than 3 million euros in their saving accounts to pay a little more tax.”