Plans by the outgoing government to extend the amount of paternity leave for new fathers could now be in doubt, Trouw reported on Wednesday.

At the end of last year, outgoing social affairs minister Lodewijk Asscher announced he planned to increase paid leave for fathers from two to five days, but now the right-wing VVD is considering branding the plan controversial.

Traditionally, work on politically sensitive issues is halted while a new cabinet is put together following an election.

‘We are still thinking about it,’ new VVD parliamentarian Dilan Yesilgoz told Trouw on Tuesday. The plan is opposed by employers, who say it would put an unfair burden on smaller firms in particular.

If the VVD does decide the measure should be put on ice, the Christian Democrats and D66 will not object because it is considered well-mannered to respect the views of a major party, Trouw said.

All parties, except the PVV, VVD, SGP and 50Plus include a commitment to longer paternity leave in their manifestos for the March general election.

Fathers in the Netherlands are able to take unpaid leave, spread out over several months, to take care of their offspring but currently only around one in four do so.