A higher minimum wage and more money for public transport. To pay for this, taxes for companies have to increase. That is the core of a plan by the governing party ChristenUnie and the opposition party GroenLinks-PvdA.
The cooperation between a government and an opposition party is remarkable, but since the fall of the cabinet, the four government parties no longer feel obliged to work together. On Budget Day, the cabinet presents a budget for next year. Because the cabinet has already submitted its resignation, there are few new plans. “However, the House of Representatives is not resigned and things urgently need to be improved,” says Christian Union leader Mirjam Bikker.
The government’s plans include increasing allowances to prevent people from falling below the poverty line. ChristenUnie and GroenLinks-PvdA want more. For example, the parties want to increase the minimum wage by 2.5 percent next year. That amounts to approximately 47 euros extra per month. The amount of benefits must increase accordingly.
Benefits
In addition, the parties want the rules for social assistance recipients to be relaxed. For example, from now on, people who receive social assistance should not have to immediately sell their house and car. The four-week waiting period for young people applying for benefits should be abolished. Anyone who does not pay their health insurance will receive a lower fine.
“All parties are talking about social security,” says GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver. “But we can only restore confidence in the government by putting our words into action. We should not wait until the elections of November 22 for this. People’s incomes can increase, public transport can remain affordable and distrust in social security can be removed: not everyone is a fraudster.”
Bus lines
To pay for the plans, the parties want to increase the taxes that banks and companies pay. For example, profit tax must be increased slightly further and listed companies must pay tax on the purchase of their own shares. Tax benefits for foreign employees should also be abolished.
With the approximately 2.3 billion euros that the parties want to raise, they also want to invest in public transport. For example, train tickets should not become more expensive next year and regional bus lines should remain intact. Bikker: “After the State elections, all parties promised that investments would be made in society. Now that corona support for public transport is disappearing, many bus lines are in danger of disappearing. People are already sometimes unable to visit hospitals after six o’clock.” The parties hope to receive support from a parliamentary majority at the General Political Considerations next week.
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