GroenLinks-PvdA leader Jesse Klaver has warned the incoming coalition government that it will need to make a “drastic change of course” before it can count on his party’s support.

Klaver spoke out against the centre-right coalition’s “irresponsible” plans to cut the healthcare budget, raise the age of retirement faster and shorten the term for unemployment pay during a weekend party conference.

The speech to party members in Utrecht represented a toughening of Klaver’s stance since the previous week, when he said he wanted to make a deal with the three-party cabinet “before the summer” to secure “big progressive breakthroughs”.

Since then the minority coalition of D66, VVD and CDA have produced their programme for government, which includes €10 billion of cuts to healthcare, cuts to incapacity benefit and ending unemployment pay after one year rather than two.

The three parties only have 66 seats in the Lower House, 10 short of a majority, meaning they will need support from the opposition to pass their legislation.

GroenLinks-PvdA are the largest opposition party with 20 seats and also play a key role in the Senate, where their 14 seats are almost enough to give the coalition parties a majority. All laws have to be passed by both houses.

Social security

Klaver told the party meeting in Utrecht: “We are going to make sure in parliament that the irresponsible cuts that are being proposed do not go through.”

But he hinted there was room for compromise, adding: “I am not going to sweeten the pill by saying we will never, ever be able to support spending cuts.”

The coalition parties want to cut €6.5 billion from the security budget during the four-year cabinet term by measures such as introducing contributions for home-based care.

The excess charge (eigen risico) on compulsory health insurance, which has been frozen at €385 for the last 10 years, will increase to €460 in 2027 and be linked to inflation in future.

The incoming cabinet, led by Rob Jetten, also wants to make older workers retire later by raising the retirement age in step with life expectancy, rather than by eight months for every projected year.

GroenLinks-PvdA campaigned during the election to invest in healthcare and social security, including phasing out excess charges for insurance and raising the minimum wage, state pension and other benefits.

Klaver told party members in Utrecht: “I think we can make savings in healthcare by organising things differently.

“I have seen too often in politics that when people talk about improving the quality of healthcare, they start by making big cuts and it’s always the most vulnerable people who pay the price, without healthcare getting any better.”