ANP King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima on the balcony of Noordeinde Palace on Budget Day
NOS News•today, 6:35 PM•Adjusted today, 8:18 PM
For the first time in parliamentary history, two-thirds of the House of Representatives is demanding that the king pay taxes on his income. In parliament, more than a hundred MPs want something to change about the so-called ‘tax exemptions’ of the members of the Royal House.
The two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate is important because it means that for the first time there is a chance that the Constitution will be amended. It stipulates that King Willem-Alexander and part of his family do not have to pay wage and income tax. A constitutional amendment is a very difficult procedure that can take years.
The annual debate on the budget of the Royal House is now taking place in the House of Representatives. The PVV, the largest party since the November elections, has said it supports a D66 plan. The plan by D66 MP Sneller states that the government must prepare a bill to abolish the income tax exemption.
Same rules
The House of Representatives has been discussing the tax exemptions of the House of Representatives for almost ten years. Until now, it was only the left-wing parties, such as PvdA, GroenLinks, SP and D66, that urged Prime Minister Rutte to do this, because they do not think the exceptional position suits a modern royal family. Their argument is that the same rules should apply to the king and his family that apply to all Dutch people.
New parties such as NSC and BBB also believe this and, like the largest party PVV, they have included that position in their election manifesto. BBB MP Keijzer emphasizes that the Dutch royal family “is a blessing” in a time of polarization. But she thinks paying income tax is “a good idea.”
“Every Dutch person must contribute to the treasury, including the king,” NSC MP Van Vroonhoven said in the debate. The party wants to start taxing income. “But we also think it is good to start taxing AA cars, which does not require a constitutional amendment.”
What does the king pay taxes on?
No tax on:
– income
– inheritances
– donations
– part of the assets (money used for work)
– cars and motorcycles with an AA license plate
Tax on:
– private assets (box 3)
– VAT on groceries
– dogs
The two-thirds majority was already signed in October, so it could no longer be a surprise for Prime Minister Rutte today. Until now, he has always rejected requests to send a blue envelope to the king. There was no “constitutionally sufficient support” for it, wrote Rutte a year ago. He also thought that King Willem-Alexander has a “special role” in the Netherlands and that it is an “incredible amount of administrative hassle” to adjust the law.
The VVD and Christian parties such as the CDA, Christian Union and the SGP were always against it, because they believed that the king has a different position and status and did not need to be regarded as an ‘ordinary citizen’.
Constitutional amendment complicated
The amendment of an article in the constitution must be discussed twice in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The first time, called the first reading, there must be a simple majority in favor, i.e. at least 76 seats in the House of Representatives and 38 in the Senate.
The constitutional amendment must then be discussed again by both Houses after elections. And then there must be a two-thirds majority in favor. This process can therefore take years.
2024-01-18 17:35:14
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