The 10% increase in ministers’ pay included in the coalition agreement will not go ahead this year, a number of newspapers report on Tuesday.

The AD says Labour and ChristenUnie ministers believe the increase would be difficult to sell to the public at a time of economic difficulty and mass redundancies.
The pay rise, which would add €17,000 a year to the prime minister’s basic salary, will be discussed at Thursday’s crisis meeting between the leaders of the coalition parties and their parliamentary leaders, the AD said.
The Christian Democrats have not yet taken a position on the issue of ministers’ pay, the AD said. But MP Marleen de Pater pointed out that such an increase needs a two-thirds majority in parliament.
The pay increase is based on recommendations from a government commission which said ministers’ salaries should rise by 30% in total to €12,902 a month. The coalition partners agreed to settle for a 10% increase.