Jetten and Heinen seek budget backing this weekend
The minority government wants to win support from parties on the left and right with a new offer.
Prime Minister Rob Jetten and Finance Minister Eelco Heinen will speak with opposition parties this weekend about the 2027 budget. The government presents the talks as an attempt to find broad support, but the opposition has yet to promise an agreement.
The talks follow an announcement by Jetten during Friday’s weekly press conference. The prime minister said the government would make an attractive proposal to both left-wing and right-wing opposition parties. NOS Radio 1 reported that Jetten and Heinen would sit down with the opposition this weekend.
The 2027 budget was presented to the Lower House (Tweede Kamer) on Budget Day, 15 September. Minister Heinen said at the time that the government wanted not only to invest and reform, but also to seek cooperation with parliament. The Budget Memorandum (Miljoenennota) has therefore been formally submitted, but political support for parts of it and for the tax plan still has to be built.
The Jetten government does not have a majority in the Lower House. Support from other groups is also needed in the Upper House (Eerste Kamer) to pass budget laws and tax measures through parliament. This means opposition parties can influence the final content, for example through changes, amendments or agreements on individual budgets.
Jetten previously invited parties including JA21, SGP, ChristenUnie, 50PLUS, Volt and PRO to talks. At a press conference on 18 September, he said that the links between the tax plan, making work pay more, investment and the Social Affairs budget were still particularly under discussion.
The government’s objective is not the same as a formal coalition agreement with the opposition. It is not yet clear whether the parties will negotiate jointly on the entire package or make separate agreements on budget chapters and tax measures. Nor is it known what specific changes the government will offer this weekend.
The talks are politically important because the budget debate in the Lower House is already under way. The House will discuss the proposals in the coming weeks, after which the Upper House will also consider them. Until there is an agreement or sufficient support for the proposals, it remains uncertain which parts of the 2027 Budget Memorandum will remain unchanged.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The 2027 budget was submitted on 15 September.
- The government does not have a majority in the Lower House.
- Jetten and Heinen are seeking support from opposition parties.
Left
Arguments A left-wing approach will stress that support is only credible if the government invests in public services, security of existence and targeted tax relief for lower- and middle-income groups.
Values Equal opportunities, solidarity and the protection of public services are central.
Consequences Without such choices, the left fears that the budget will mainly perpetuate existing inequality and postpone necessary investment.
Centre
Arguments The institutional approach seeks a workable compromise in which structural spending is covered, European budget rules are respected and several parties can agree on the main points.
Values Administrative stability, financial sustainability and predictability for citizens and businesses carry considerable weight.
Consequences A broad agreement could make the budget more sustainable, but could also lead to less decisive choices and complicated exceptions.
Right
Arguments A right-wing approach will focus above all on controlling public spending, lower burdens for businesses and employees, and room for economic growth.
Values Personal responsibility, economic dynamism and a limited state come first.
Consequences According to this view, too many concessions to left-wing parties could increase the tax burden and curb investment by businesses.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The current talks and the parliamentary status of the budget have been confirmed by government and NOS sources. The text clearly distinguishes between established facts and the still uncertain outcome.
- confirmed Jetten and Heinen are speaking with opposition parties this weekend about the 2027 budget. — Reported by NOS Radio 1 on 25 September 2026. source
- confirmed The 2027 Budget Memorandum was presented to the Lower House on 15 September. — Confirmed by the Dutch government. source
- confirmed The Jetten government needs opposition parties for parliamentary support. — Government communications and the described minority position confirm that broad support is being sought. source
Editor's note
It is certain that Jetten and Heinen are speaking with opposition parties and that the budget has been formally submitted. It is uncertain what specific concessions the government will offer and whether they will secure sufficient support.Sources
- Minderheidskabinet spreekt met oppositie over nieuw aantrekkelijk aanbod — NOS Radio 1
- Letterlijke tekst persconferentie na ministerraad 18 september 2026 — Rijksoverheid
- Prinsjesdag 2026: welvaart opnieuw verdienen — Rijksoverheid
More on this in Dutch media
- Het Parool — „begroting den haag”
- Trouw — „begroting den haag”
- NRC — „begroting den haag”