Severe criticism of the new government for raising the retirement age and reducing spending on elderly care
The new government coalition consisting of D66, CDA, and VVD faced severe criticism after its plan to raise the retirement age and cut spending on elderly care in the first parliamentary debate since the coalition agreement was published.
Opposition parties accused this right-wing trio of violating an agreement reached with unions and employers seven years ago by changing the work mechanism so that people in their thirties must work until the age of seventy.
Proposals from the left-wing coalition GroenLinks-PvdA to reject the plan failed after right-wing parties abstained from supporting it, but this led to a sharp exchange of criticisms during the discussion.
GL-PvdA leader Jesse Klaver described this as a "false start" for the minority government that will need support from opposition parties to pass its legislation in parliament. Yeten confirmed that the new rules raising the retirement age in line with life expectancy will not come into effect until 2033, and that his government will seek to consult with opposition parties and organizations such as labor unions in advance.
Jan Struijs, from the 50Plus party for retirees, criticized the coalition parties for violating the hard-won pension agreement, calling for the exemption of workers in physically demanding jobs. Some members of parliament stated that the proposals regarding government spending raise concerns about the impact they may have on vulnerable families.
On the other hand, the government is facing pressure from leftist parties to retract some measures related to social security, including a reduction of two billion euros in spending on elderly care. Tax and Debt Plans The new government spending plans include a budget deficit limit of 2%, which is below the European Union's maximum of 3%, raising speculation about the possibility of concessions to opposition parties.
Chris Stoffer, leader of the orthodox Protestant SGP party, confirmed that the damages will affect wide categories, while Annabel Nanninga from the right-wing JA21 party urged the government to lower taxes and take more steps to reduce the number of asylum seekers. On the other hand, voices have emerged calling for the new government to take strict measures in asylum law, complicating the Dutch political landscape. While some parties were decisive in rejecting cooperation with coalition plans, Geert Wilders from the right-wing PVV party accused the ruling tripartite government of "draining the Netherlands."