Crisis engulfs Dutch government ahead of crucial tax vote

The Netherlands’ minority coalition is under severe strain after two of its three members struck a deal with opposition parties to secure support for a contentious tax plan.

Ahead of a debate and vote Thursday, the centrist D66 party, led by Prime Minister Rob Jetten, and the center-right Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) agreed with progressive opposition parties PRO and Volt to shift about €1 billion in tax from wealth to income. The deal reflects a key demand from PRO, the largest opposition party. The agreement has left the coalition’s third party, the center-right VVD, on the sidelines.

On Wednesday evening, VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz said she was surprised by the deal, which she called “bad for the Netherlands” and said “goes against the coalition agreement.” She threatened to reconsider cooperation with her coalition partners.

“This is not the way we should be working with each other,” she said. If D66 and CDA vote with PRO and Volt in Thursday’s parliamentary ballot, “we will also have to see how this cooperation can continue.”

D66 and CDA said late Wednesday that they would stand by the deal and would not renegotiate, adding to the pressure on the already-fragile coalition.

Jetten is expected to attend the debate and vote in the House of Representatives, and will miss Thursday’s European Political Community meeting in Dublin with other continental leaders.

The D66-VVD-CDA coalition is a minority government, holding 66 of 150 seats in the House of Representatives and 22 of 75 in the Senate. It is a rare arrangement in modern Dutch politics.