Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten will try to save his minority government from collapse at a meeting with coalition partners on Friday. The meeting comes after a heated debate over wealth taxes that exposed deep divisions a day earlier. Jetten’s three-party coalition threatened to fall apart less than 9 months after taking power, in a government crisis in the Netherlands that is escalating day by day.
The parties argued over a deal with the left-wing opposition to support a 2027 tax plan in exchange for a slight increase in wealth taxes. This situation has put the Netherlands on the brink of a government crisis, according to recent political developments. The right-wing, pro-business VVD party had strongly opposed this change to the original tax plan.
Jetten’s centrist D66 party and the Christian Democrats, meanwhile, supported it. In its resistance to the proposal, VVD ultimately voted against its own government’s tax plan. The move was followed by the plan securing a narrow majority with the support of opposition parties.
VVD leader Ruben Brekelmans said the vote result was “disappointing”. According to him, this would force his party to seriously reconsider its position. A split with VVD is likely to be the end of the minority government led by Jetten, who in February became the youngest prime minister in Dutch history.
After the vote, Jetten said he would do everything possible to keep his coalition together. He would seek “a new start” at Friday’s meeting with the leaders of VVD and the Christian Democrats. A government crisis could trigger new elections, which would be the fourth in the Netherlands in the past five years.
This is because two previous governments were also short-lived. However, a new vote would not be guaranteed. The parties could try to form a new government based on the current seats in the lower house of parliament.
But options would be limited, as this would probably lead to another minority government. This option was immediately rejected by the opposition party, which criticized the coalition’s approach to the budget. Jetten’s centrist D66 party was the surprise winner of the last elections in the Netherlands a year ago.
This came thanks to a refined and optimistic campaign that promised a break from the previous divisive government led by VVD. However, the campaign’s optimism collided with the reality of a coalition that does not have a majority in either house of parliament and needs opposition support for all its proposals. ## Coalitions in the Netherlands and the challenges of a parliamentary majority The Netherlands has traditionally been governed by government coalitions with a majority in parliament.
But securing a majority has become increasingly difficult in a fragmented political landscape. This is because voter preferences change with every cycle and centrist parties have continually lost support.