The three Christian parties in parliament have sided with the right-wing government and far-right parties to ensure a majority for education cuts in the senate, saying the deal “has made a bad budget not as bad.”

The coalition had planned to slash €2 billion from spending on education but this has now been reduced to €1.25 billion, following the agreement with opposition parties.

The deal means plans to make slow students pay far higher university and college fees have been scrapped and spending on research will not be cut as much as planned. Religious education in schools will also remain intact as will the current community service programme for school leavers.

But other measures to boost equal opportunities in education, such as reducing early streaming at secondary school and providing pre-school classes for children from more disadvantaged backgrounds will still go.

The €750 million will come from spending on medical specialists, student travel, the civil service and further cuts to public broadcasting.

“It is not our budget, but we have made a bad budget less bad,” Christian Democrat leader Henri Bontenbal said after the deal became public on Wednesday evening.

If the budget had been voted down in the senate, it would have caused financial chaos and possibly a new cabinet crisis, said NOS commentator Xander van der Wulp. “This means the Schoof cabinet can continue, and will probably make it to Christmas.”

“I am not here to keep the coalition going,” ChristenUnie leader Miriam Bikker told reporters. “I am here to improve the education ministry budget.”

Opposition parties

But opposition parties have slammed the three parties, who, they say, have propped up the government. D66 pulled out of the talks last week.

Volt leader Laurens Dassen said the future of the Netherlands would be hit by this decision. “These shortsighted cuts on education are a very expensive mistake,” he said on social media.

It is an “agreement on €1.2 billion in cuts on education, reducing early streaming, pre-school education, help for children stuck at home, equality of opportunity,” Amsterdam Labour party chief Marjolein Moorman said. “And celebrating that as a good thing? Who is going to tell the children?”

Student and university organisations have also reacted with disappointment. “Scientific research is the big loser in this deal and that is extremely bad for the future of the Netherlands, given knowledge is our biggest resource,” said Caspar van den Berg of the university association UNL.

Now agreement has been reached, MPs will today vote on all the ministerial budgets which will then go to the upper house of parliament for approval. Although the cabinet does not control a majority of seats, the education deal means they are likely to be passed in the senate as well.