Bontenbal says left-wing parties more open to concessions in Dutch talks

CDA leader Henri Bontenbal says talks with left-wing opposition parties PRO and Volt offered a better chance of reaching agreement than negotiations with the right-wing alliance of JA21, BBB and the SGP. The talks involved concessions on a proposed tax shift, but it remains unclear whether the VVD will accept the changes.

Bontenbal said he had spoken extensively with all the parties to establish what compromises they would accept. He praised PRO leader Jesse Klaver for giving up a substantial part of the left-wing parties’ original proposal: they had wanted to raise an additional €1.5 billion from wealthy people and business owners to ease the tax burden on workers. The figure in the eventual proposal was reduced to €1 billion.

Bontenbal said he was hopeful the VVD could support the changes. He argued that the extra contribution would fall only on people with the largest fortunes, while relatively small savers would receive a modest tax cut. The VVD’s position was still uncertain at the time of the report.