VVD manifesto: cut government apparatus, aid and EU funding

The free-market party VVD published its draft manifesto for the June 9 general election on Friday, including a package of cuts totaling €20bn over the next five years.


The government´s financial problems stem from the fact that the state spends too much, rather than raises too little via taxes and premiums, the party states.
´We want to give a fair message to voters,´ said party leader Mark Rutte at the presentation. ´We cannot keep pushing the problems away.´
Tough talk
Rutte said none of the party’s proposals would be considered sacrosanct if the VVD is involved in negotiations to form a new cabinet. ‘That would be misplaced tough-guy tactics,’ he said.
But the VVD would only join a cabinet if it is prepared to take all the necessary measures to make the Netherlands stronger in the future, he was quoted as saying.
The VVD is currently second behind the Labour party in the opinion polls.
Among the measures the party includes in its manifesto are:

  • a 25% reduction in politician and civil service numbers
  • a 50% reduction in the number of government ministries
  • the health care own risk charge to almost double to €300
  • no changes to mortgage tax relief
  • no kilometre tax on motoring
  • 3,500 extra police officers
  • unemployment benefit paying for a maximum one year
  • cuts of €4.5bn on spending on the EU and development aid
  • no subsidies for integration courses
  • no unemployment benefit for immigrants during their first 10 years of residency
  • state pension age to rise two months a year to 67
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