Local Elections 2010

Election debate highlights left right divide

The first televised debate of the local election campaign highlighted the differences between left and right on taxes and government cut backs.

The right-wing Liberals VVD and Christian Democrats promised they would fill gaps in government and local authority spending without resorting to tax increases.

'The problem is not that people don't pay enough tax, but that the government spends too much,' the CDA's parliamentary party leader Pieter van Geel said.

Symbolic

But Labour leader and finance minister Wouter Bos used the debate to accuse the VVD and Liberal Democrats D66 of being hypocritical. They had 'big mouths' about bankers' bonuses but then failed to support his suggestion that the top rate of income tax be raised to 60%, he said.

It is only right that the strongest shoulders carry the heaviest burdens, the Labour leader said.

D66 leader Alexander Pechtold dismissed the figure as a 'symbolic contribution'. And Mark Rutte, head of the VVD, said tax increases would damage the economy.

Civil servants are currently looking at ways to generate €35bn in an effort to get government spending back under control.

Wilders

GroenLinks leader Femke Halsema directed much of her fire at Geert Wilders, leader of the anti-Islam party PVV, who was part of the debate even though the PVV is only fighting the elections in Almere and the Hague.

'Are you going to keep on roaring or are we going to actually do something,' she said. 'The only things you offer are humiliation, intimidation and exclusion.'

'People want to hear concrete proposals,' said VVD leader Mark Rutte.

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