New cabinet will have little influence on budget: De Jager

Even if VVD leader Mark Rutte manages to put a new coalition government together before July 1, it will still only be able to have a very limited effect on spending plans for next year, caretaker finance minister Jan Kees de Jager said on Friday.

Speaking after the weekly cabinet meeting, De Jager said the preparations for next year’s budget are already under way, ahead of their formal presentation on the third Tuesday in September.
For example, changes in healthcare policy will have to be drawn up very quickly indeed, as will any alterations to taxation policy, De Jager said.
Rutte wants a speedy cabinet formation process because of the need for tough economic measures. Last year, the outgoing cabinet agreed to delay taking decisions on economic reform until this September. But those plans too were abandoned after the cabinet collapsed in February.