After just two days of talks, agreement has been reached on how to slash the Dutch budget deficit to meet eurozone targets, according to media reports on Thursday afternoon.

Finance minister Jan Kees de Jager has succeeded in making a deal to cut the deficit together with the D66 Liberal democrats, left-wing greens GroenLinks and small Christian party ChristenUnie, Nos television reported.
In an initial reaction, De Jager said the agreement is sufficient to calm the financial markets. The 3% limit is in sight, he said. Last weekend, seven weeks of talks between the minority coalition and anti-immigration PVV collapsed when Geert Wilders’ party pulled out.
Pensions
Details have not yet been made public, but Nos television says the pension age increase will be brought forward, the tax break on mortgages will be reformed and healthcare fees will go up.
Parliament is due to debate the financial situation this evening.
The Labour party (PvdA) was sidelined in the high-pressure talks. The Financieele Dagblad says the party had offered to make a ‘serious attempt’ to reach a deal on reducing the budget deficit towards 3% but was ‘not invited’ to join in.
More to follow