Freedom and responsibility is right-wing government slogan

The three parties on the verge of forming a new coalition government unveiled their coalition agreement on Thursday, under the motto ‘freedom and responsibility’.


The aim of the agreement is to give the Netherlands back to the hardworking Dutchman, VVD leader and prime ministerial hopeful Mark Rutte said.
The pact is the result of two months of negotiations between the Christian Democrats, right-wing VVD and anti-Islam PVV. The PVV will support the VVD and CDA on a number of issues but will not have ministers and is not officially part of the government.
The agreement includes a ban on the burqa, the introduction of ‘animal cops’ and a reduction in the minimum wage
‘This agreement’s approach should lead to a… 50% reduction in the inflow non-western immigrants,’ PVV leader Geert Wilders said.
Christian Democrat MPs are still divided on whether or not to support the coalition agreement.
After 15 hours of discussion on Wednesday, the 21 members of parliament have decided to leave the decision up to Saturday’s congress. At least two MPs are known to oppose an alliance with Gert Wilders’ party
The main measures in the coalition accord
Economy and taxes

  • Aid budget to be cut from 0.8% of GDP to 0.7%
  • Energy bill surcharge to pay for subsidies for wind and solar power projects
  • Corporate clustering to be encouraged such as Greenport Venlo and Maintenance Valley projects
  • Public private partnerships to be encouraged for infrastructure
  • Childcare and healthcare subsidies to be cut
    Immigration and asylum:

  • Immigrants to pay for their own integration courses
  • Ban on the burqa and other face-covering garments
  • Headscarf ban for police and justice ministry officials
  • Integration tests to be made more difficult
  • List of dangerous countries for automatic refugee status to be scrapped
    Work and social security

  • Benefit cuts for people whose clothing or behaviour stops them finding work
  • Minimum wage and basic welfare benefits to be reduced
  • Pension age to rise from 65 to 66 by 2020
  • No change to unemployment benefit
  • No change to redundancy laws

    Law and order

  • 2,500 new police officers to be appointed
  • 500 new animal police officers
  • Minimum sentences for serious crimes
  • Tougher sentences for attacking emergency service workers
  • Stop and search policy to be extended
    Defence and foreign policy

  • Further investment in ties with Israel
  • Nato missions to be paid for from aid budget
  • €1bn to be cut from European Union bill
  • Second test JSF fighter jet will be bought
    Other measures

  • Parents to be made (financially) responsible for making sure their children speak Dutch properly
  • €500m for new roads
  • Spending on arts and culture to be cut
  • €1bn more for spending on the elderly
  • Prostitution age to be raised to 21
  • Spending on public broadcasting to be cut by €200m – one tv channel may go
  • Cannabis cafes will become members-only clubs with a pass system
  • No change to Sunday trading laws – currently 12 a year
  • The smoking ban in cafes and bars smaller than 70m2 will be lifted
  • Speed limit on some motorways increased to 130 kph.
  • Student grants to be reduced from four to three years
  • Applications to build new nuclear power stations to be welcomed
    Government

  • Savings on civil service to generate savings of €6.6bn a year
  • The new cabinet will have 12 full and eight junior ministers, split between the CDA and VVD
  • Economic affairs and agriculture combined into a single ministry
  • The number of MPs and senators will be reduced to 100 and 50 respectively
  • Local government layers will be reduced
    To read the full agreement, click here
    For the silent partner agreement with the PVV, click here
    What do you think of the deal? Take part in our poll

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