Informants give formative parties homework on finances | Formation 2023

“What are your biggest priorities in a budgetary sense? What do you see as options for coverage? What budget rules would you be comfortable with?” According to informants Elbert Dijkgraaf and Richard van Zwol, these are the questions that PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB received on Tuesday.

Dijkgraaf and Van Zwol want to discuss finances further later this week. The conversation they had on Tuesday lasted barely an hour. This was because “the puzzle that needs to be solved is clear to everyone,” says Van Zwol. The forming parties would have already received financial documents to read before the Easter weekend, including from the Central Planning Bureau (CPB).

Last week, the CPB warned the House once again about the limited financial space for the new cabinet. Although parties do not have to worry about the debt position and budget balance, “all signals for the medium term are in the red”. Spending has increased considerably in recent years. According to the CPB, that course must be changed.

Ontvang meldingen bij belangrijke ontwikkelingen Stay informed with notifications

The new cabinet must therefore make tough choices. Should expenses increase? Should cuts be made? And should the costs increase or decrease? These are questions to which PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB do not have the same answers. Recently, Geert Wilders (PVV) emphasized once again that he does not want to make cuts. According to VVD leader Dilan Yesilgöz, this is actually necessary.

Finances are perhaps the most difficult topic for the parties to agree on. For NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt, the difference of opinion at the beginning of February was the reason to leave the formation table.

At the same time, government finances form the basis for all new plans of a new cabinet. If those ministers indeed become more distant from the House of Representatives and start working with an outline program, financial frameworks are extra important.

PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB started substantive negotiations at the end of March. Recently they have discussed education, public housing and infrastructure, among other things. Various experts and parties from civil society came by to update the politicians. Nitrogen is also on the agenda this week. The intention is to complete the negotiations before June.

Om een vraag te kunnen stellen dien je in te loggen. Log in of maak binnen 1 minuut jouw gratis account aan.