The Hague ready for 200th budget presentation, king’s speech

The cabinet presents its 2015 spending plans on Tuesday afternoon against a backdrop of cautious economic growth and improved confidence in ministers.

Many of the details have already been leaked to the media. These include more cash for defence and a cut in income tax. Almost everyone will have a little more to spend this year, after three years of austerity.

Meanwhile, thousands of people are already beginning to line the route the king and queen Máxima will take in the golden coach to parliament. Tuesday is expected to be one of the warmest, if not the hottest, Prinsjesdag on record, since the first was held 200 years ago.

Surprises

Any real surprises will have to come from the king’s speech, when the monarch addresses both houses of parliament and outlines ministers’ strategy for the coming year.

Last year the speech launched the concept of the ‘participation society’ – the government’s decision to shift more care responsibilities away from the private sector and off the government’s books to friends and family.

After the king’s speech, finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem will present his traditional briefcase containing the ministerial spending plans to parliament with a short overview of the economic situation.

Opposition

The Volkskrant says the opposition parties will be quick to profile themselves ahead of this year’s provincial elections. The make-up of the 12 provincial councils determines the political make-up of the senate, or upper house of parliament, where the cabinet does not have majority support.

Prime minister Mark Rutte’s Achilles heel is the tax system, which is in dire need of an overhaul but which divides the two ruling parties, the Volkskrant points out.

Plans for reform are likely to be presented on Tuesday afternoon but they will be about ‘lines of thought’ and ‘step by step change’, the paper says.

 

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