Wilders' stamp all over the coalition deal, says opposition

Thursday 30 September 2010

The coalition agreement drawn up by the right-wing VVD, Christian Democrats and anti-Islam PVV, has the stamp of PVV leader Geert Wilders all over it, opposition party leaders say.

'This is unmistakeably a Wilders' cabinet,' said Femke Halsema, leader of the green party. 'It is about repression and reducing ethnic minorities while we are faced by the biggest economic crisis of the last 80 years.'

'You can see Wilders has real influence,' said D66 leader Alexander Pechtold, before describing the 'discriminatory' measures affecting immigrants as bullying.

The agreement will lead to economic stagnation, he said. 'The bill is being passed on to the next generation.'

Employers

The three main employers organisations said the agreement shows the new government has made a clear choice to clean up its finances and strengthen the economy.

Making government institutions carry the brunt of the cuts is sensible considering the government's financial problems, the organisations said. Employers also welcomed efforts to cut red tape and bureaucracy.

The FNV trade union federation said every household with an income of less than €50,000 will be worse off under this agreement. The deal will also lead to deeper divisions in society.

Frank van der Aa, spokesman for the pensioners union ANBO welcomed the news that the government will spend an extra €1bn on care of the elderly. 'But the elderly themselves will pay the bill,' he said. 'The healthcare benefit for people on low incomes is being cut, as is the basic insurance package and other budgets,' he said.

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