Cabinet discusses controversial tax plan
Coalition parties seek alternative funding with opposition before the Lower House debates the plan on Monday.
Follow-up to: Cabinet seeks majority through trade-off between benefits and box 3 Monday, 28 September 2026, 20:10
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The cabinet held further talks on the tax plan on Saturday and wants to negotiate changes with opposition parties in the coming days. The minority government is seeking support for a proposal that previously met objections in the House.
The cabinet leadership discussed on Saturday what direction the tax plan should take. Finance Minister Eelco Heinen and State Secretary Eelco Eerenberg must come up with an alternative after a proposal to tax small savers and wealthy people earlier received insufficient support.
According to WNL, citing ANP, a possible increase in inheritance and gift tax is being considered as alternative funding. A majority in the House wants to discuss this, but the VVD has opposed that route.
The talks are important because the cabinet does not have a permanent majority. According to the same report, D66 and CDA are mainly seeking support from parties that want to reduce taxes on labour and increase taxes on wealthy people. According to reports, the VVD is also considering cooperation with parties on the right of the political spectrum.
Parties on the right are linking their support to other issues. JA21 is calling for attention to asylum policy, among other matters; the SGP to medical-ethical issues; and BBB wants nitrogen policy to be amended. The cabinet has said it is unwilling to accept all the conditions.
The Lower House (Tweede Kamer) will debate the tax plan on Monday. Votes are scheduled for 12 November. Negotiations could still lead to changes before then, but no final agreement had been reported on Saturday. The precise outcome therefore remains uncertain.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The cabinet does not have a permanent majority and is seeking opposition support for the tax plan.
- A proposal to tax small savers and wealthy people earlier received insufficient support.
- The Lower House will debate the plan on Monday; votes are scheduled for 12 November.
Left
Arguments The left will primarily want the burden to be distributed more fairly and lower taxes on labour not to be paid for through cuts to public services. From this perspective, a higher contribution from wealthy people is more obvious than increasing the burden on middle- and lower-income groups.
Values Social equality, ability to pay and protection of public services.
Consequences A compromise could improve the distribution of income, but opponents fear that complicated new levies could discourage entrepreneurship and saving.
Centre
Arguments The institutional approach seeks a legally workable and fiscally reliable source of funding that several parties can support. Predictability for households and the tax authority’s ability to implement the measures carry considerable weight.
Values Stability, workability and parliamentary cooperation.
Consequences A broad deal could give the cabinet room to govern, but might require a less ambitious plan or postponement of some elements.
Right
Arguments The right will stress that tax increases can harm the economy and the confidence of entrepreneurs and savers. From this perspective, the government should first scrutinise spending and tax policy should remain simple.
Values Lower taxes, economic freedom and individual responsibility.
Consequences A moderate tax plan could support growth and investment, but critics say it could raise less money for social and public purposes.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s core is supported by current reporting from WNL/ANP and earlier information from the central government. The text clearly distinguishes between confirmed negotiations and possible outcomes.
- confirmed The cabinet held talks on the tax plan on 24 October. — Reported by WNL/ANP. source
- confirmed A proposal to tax small savers and wealthy people earlier received insufficient support. — Reported by WNL/ANP. source
- confirmed The Lower House will debate the plan on Monday and vote on 12 November. — Reported by WNL/ANP. source
Editor's note
It is certain that the cabinet held talks on the tax plan on Saturday and is seeking opposition support. No final funding arrangement or agreement was yet known.Sources
- Top kabinet spreekt over belastingplan — WNL/ANP
- Letterlijke tekst persconferentie na ministerraad 16 oktober 2026 — Rijksoverheid
The story so far
- Monday, 28 September 2026, 20:10 Cabinet seeks majority through trade-off between benefits and box 3
- Saturday, 24 October 2026, 20:43 Cabinet discusses controversial tax plan (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- Het Parool — „belastingplan oppositie”
- Trouw — „belastingplan oppositie”
- NRC — „belastingplan oppositie”