The ruling VVD has decided not to try and find an alternative to a planned value-added tax hike for the performing arts, meaning the increase from 6% to 19% will now go ahead.

The coalition CDA and partner party PVV both back the tax increase, which is included in the new government´s coalition agreement, forcing the VVD into line, the Parool reports on Wednesday.
Opposition parties had suggested raising the necessary €90m by increasing the tax on insurance premiums to 10.2% instead. The coalition deal already includes a commitment to increase this tax from 7.5% to 9.5%.
Opposition MPs said the decision to go ahead with the tax increase shows how much power Geert Wilders’ PVV has as coalition partner.
‘The PVV is the boss and we do have a puppet government led by Geert Wilders,’ said D66 MP Wouter Koolmees.
GroenLinks MP Bruno Braakhuis said culture will soon only be there for ‘Willemijn, Charlotte and Willem-Jan’ rather than Henk and Ingrid, referring to the ‘ordinary’ Dutch citizens Wilders claims to represent.
See also
Amateur dramatics from the new government