Cabinet makes concessions to opposition including more funding for police

The Dutch cabinet has introduced amendments to its tax plan to secure support from opposition parties in the Tweede Kamer. Key concessions include delaying the VAT increase on flowers from 2028 to 2029 to satisfy the BBB and allocating an additional 15 to 25 million euros annually for the police and Public Prosecution Service to gain favor with 50PLUS and Group Markuszower. Additionally, the government has decided to temporarily retain the current tax deduction for specific healthcare costs, funding this move from a dedicated 350 million euro budget previously meant for chronologically ill citizens. Smaller investments in artificial intelligence have also been proposed to address requests from Volt.

While the cabinet hopes these adjustments will ensure approval in the Tweede Kamer, where the CU, 50PLUS, and Group Markuszower have signaled their intent to support the plan, the situation in the Senate remains uncertain. Achieving a legislative majority will require further cooperation from other political parties, and negotiations are expected to continue in the coming days.