Finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem will not attend the International Monetary Fund’s annual meeting in Washington this weekend, because it is ‘more important’ to win support for the cabinet’s spending plans.

‘It is very irritating that I have to cancel the trip, but this has priority,’ Dijsselbloem told reporters. ‘It is a pity for our international obligations but there will be other opportunities. Finishing this process in the Netherlands is currently more important.’

The minister is trying to find majority support for the €6bn austerity package in the senate. Three opposition parties remain in the talks. Together they control eight seats, enough to give the cabinet a majority of one for its plans.

Dijsselbloem should have attended the IMF meeting in his capacity as a shareholder in the organisation as well as in his role as chairman of the influential Eurogroup.

He has also pulled out of a string of influential panel discussions associated with the IMF in Washington, the Financieele Dagblad reported.