A majority of MPs have voted in favour of processing legislation to give new fathers five days paid paternity leave, even though the outgoing government branded it ‘controversial’.

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

However, caretaker social affairs minister Lodewijk Asscher is keen to press ahead with the plan – which is slated to come into effect in 2019. For that to happen, decisions have to be taken now, Asscher said.

The three parties currently involved in forming a new coalition remain opposed to debating the bill as does the fundamentalist Christian SGP. However, GroenLinks has now changed sides, making the debate possible.

Dutch fathers currently only get two days paid paternity leave, one of the lowest amounts in the EU.

It is not yet clear when the debate will take place.