Politicians who resign or are sacked and are approaching the official retirement age will only be able to claim unemployment benefits for five years, not almost 10 as at present, when new draft legislation becomes law.

MPs on Thursday backed home affairs minister Ronald Plasterk’s plan to cut entitlement to the special benefit paid to former parliamentarians who are over the age of 55.

Politicians are entitled to 80% of their salary for the first year, followed by 70%. Younger MPs and other political officials are entitled to the benefits – known as wachtgeld – for 38 months.

MPs will vote on the changes on June 23.