1. Getting started for the elderly
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The new cabinet led by Prime Minister Rutte will have to look for ways to improve the purchasing power of the elderly. During the first debate with the new cabinet, there was much dissatisfaction with the plan to gradually increase the minimum wage and social assistance by 7.5 percent, but not the AOW (General Old Age Pensions Act).
As a result, the elderly are left out in the cold, according to many parties. The VVD, the largest party, is now unwilling to disconnect the AOW. Allowing the state pension to grow along with it costs more than 2 billion euros per year. The VVD does have a number of ideas for repairing the purchasing power of the elderly, such as increasing the elderly person’s tax credit and supplementing the income of the elderly unemployed.
CDA party leader Pieter Heerma believes that, if necessary, it should be decided to increase the AOW itself. “That minus must be compensated.”
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2. Derailment at the start
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The debate had only just begun when it already derailed with the first speaker: PVV leader Geert Wilders. Just before that, Prime Minister Rutte had made an appeal to debate respectfully. The PVV leader, among other things, launched a tirade against politicians with a headscarf (‘woman-oppressing’ and ‘fascist symbol’) and criticized the media.
Wilders called journalists ‘lackeys of power’. He also had some personal attacks. Such as D66 MP Fonda Sahla and her sister Soumaya Sahla, ex-member of the Hofstad group.
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3. Chamber president under fire
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The chaotic start also affected Chamber President Vera Bergkamp. She hardly intervened and that was a thorn in the side of a number of MPs. Sylvana Simons (BIJ1) even begged the President of the House to intervene: “It is up to you to create a safe workplace for people who have been elected.”
Bergkamp tried to salvage what could be salvaged and said she wanted to conduct the debate on substance. Pieter Omtzigt thought her performance did not go far enough. “You don’t just have to say foei, foei. You are the referee and then you have to hit someone harder.” Jesse Klaver also called for action: “Maintain”, shouted the GroenLinks leader. “You are chairman of the House and guardian of the democratic constitutional state.”
Bergkamp eventually said she wants to talk about the coarsening and tone of the debate at a ‘later’ moment.
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4. ‘Brutal cutbacks’ youth care
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During the debate on the coalition agreement, the left-wing opposition has nothing good to say about the proposed interventions in youth care and nursing home care. In the long term, the government wants to cut half a billion euros in youth care. Unacceptable, according to the left-wing parties, especially because the waiting lists are already so long.
In the case of nursing home care, this involves a final cut of 400 million euros. The VVD states that ‘choices have to be made, sometimes difficult choices’.
Even if the cabinet is throwing billions, the financial room for maneuver in the care cuts seems limited for the time being. Tomorrow Prime Minister Rutte will have the floor and he will come up with an answer.
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5. Criticism of the decline in purchasing power
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The cabinet is throwing billions, but for the first time in years, everyone is declining in purchasing power. This is partly due to the price increases in the supermarket and at the petrol pump. And that especially affects people who don’t have much to spend anyway. It leads to a lot of criticism in the House of Representatives.
The coalition parties have agreed in the coalition agreement that there must be a ‘balanced and positive image of purchasing power for everyone’. VVD party leader Hermans believes that the new cabinet should adhere to the coalition agreement. So the cabinet must get to work on this, says the VVD member.
Tomorrow the cabinet will continue to debate the government statement and Rutte will answer the questions on behalf of the cabinet.
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