The **NSC** party proposes a minimum wage of 18 euros and a reform in healthcare as part of its new electoral program.
The Nieuw Sociaal Contract (NSC) party unveiled its new election program, calling for an increase in the minimum wage and reforms in the healthcare system. The plan, announced on Saturday, includes a proposal to raise the minimum wage to 18 euros per hour, as well as to impose restrictions on healthcare costs for patients.
Under the health proposal, patients will pay a maximum of 80 euros per treatment, while the current annual deductible amount of 385 euros remains in effect. The party emphasizes that the deductible system should not prevent people from accessing care, noting that a single treatment should not consume the entire annual amount.
The program, titled 'Security Assurance' and led by Eddy van Hijum, expands the party's focus beyond purchasing power, which was the centerpiece of its previous electoral program. For the first time, the party sets a clear target for the minimum wage per hour. It also presents plans regarding national defense, supporting the Netherlands' commitment to NATO's principle of spending 3.5% of GDP, but emphasizes that this should not come at the expense of citizens' financial security. The program did not specify the sources of funding for this increase.
In the housing sector, the party proposes the creation of a fund worth two billion euros to accelerate the pace of construction and reduce the property transfer tax for buyers. It also supports maintaining the mortgage interest deduction. The party suggests that rent increases in the social housing sector should be limited to the inflation rate only, while private sector rents can rise by the inflation rate plus 1%.
The immigration file remains one of the most prominent issues in the program. The party calls for a cap of 50,000 immigrants per year, including a maximum of 40,000 migrant workers. It also seeks to discourage companies from relying on foreign labor by eliminating the possibility of deducting housing costs from their wages and imposing a special tax on employers who hire foreign workers.