Coalition under heavy pressure after tax deal without VVD
D66 and CDA reached an agreement with Pro and Volt on higher wealth tax and lower income tax.
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Relations within the cabinet came under heavy pressure on Wednesday evening after D66 and CDA struck a tax deal with opposition parties Pro and Volt without coalition partner VVD. VVD leaders are considering their response, while the Lower House will vote on the tax plan on Thursday.
The deal was reached after negotiations that, according to NOS, lasted until 3 a.m. D66, CDA and Pro then reached an agreement which, according to NOS, amounts to around €1 billion in additional tax for wealthy people and around €1 billion in tax relief for people earning income from work. Volt also supports the agreement.
According to NOS, VVD was informed only after the other parties had reached agreement. VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz and parliamentary group leader Jeroen Brekelmans were reportedly unhappy with how events unfolded. According to NOS, the VVD parliamentary group met for an extended period on Wednesday to discuss how the party should proceed.
The conflict concerns not only the substance, but also the way in which the coalition reaches decisions. D66 and CDA wanted to seek a majority among left-wing opposition parties. VVD, by contrast, opposes additional tax on wealth and has previously called for negotiations with right-wing parties.
The coalition parties have agreed that, in the last resort, they may release one another from their commitments during votes on the tax plan. This means VVD can vote against the section on higher wealth tax, while D66 and CDA, together with opposition parties, still try to form a majority. A difference in voting behaviour need not lead to a cabinet crisis, but it could put relations within the coalition under further strain.
Prime Minister Rob Jetten will face questions on Thursday during an unscheduled debate about the future of his cabinet. Votes on the tax plan and amendments to the box 3 rules are scheduled for Thursday. According to the cabinet, rejecting the tax plan would cost the government €9 billion in revenue over the coming years; that figure comes from the cabinet's explanatory memorandum and is not an estimate by the opposition.
The outcome is not yet certain. It is unclear how VVD will vote and what political consequences it will attach to the deal. In addition to securing a majority for the tax plan, mutual trust between the three governing parties could also play a role in what happens next.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- D66 and CDA reached an agreement with Pro and Volt on amendments to the tax plan.
- According to NOS, VVD was informed only after the agreement had been reached.
- The vote on the tax plan is scheduled for 12 November.
- Under previously agreed arrangements, the coalition parties may, in the last resort, release one another from their commitments during the vote.
Left
Arguments The heaviest burden should fall on people with the greatest wealth, while lower and middle incomes should receive relief. A minority government must seek majorities where they can be found on substantive grounds.
Values Redistribution, purchasing power and parliamentary cooperation.
Consequences The deal could reduce income differences, but it could also place further pressure on the coalition.
Centre
Arguments An agreement must be financially feasible, legally sound and politically stable. Seeking support outside the coalition is logical, but coalition partners should not present one another with faits accomplis.
Values Administrative continuity, diligence and compromise.
Consequences An amended deal could secure a majority, but only if the coalition remains workable afterwards.
Right
Arguments VVD may feel that the coalition agreements are being bypassed and that higher wealth tax affects entrepreneurship, saving and investment. A cabinet should not become dependent on an incidental left-wing majority.
Values Tax restraint, predictability and coalition discipline.
Consequences Voting against it could appeal to its own supporters, but could also lead to a cabinet crisis or less stable policy.
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 central claims are supported by recent reporting from NOS and parliamentary documents. It remains uncertain what political step VVD will ultimately take.
- confirmed D66 and CDA struck a tax deal with Pro and Volt. — Reported by NOS on 11 November 2026. source
- confirmed The deal contains around €1 billion in additional tax for wealthy people and around €1 billion in tax relief for working people. — These amounts are mentioned in NOS's reporting. source
- confirmed VVD leaders considered their response on Wednesday. — NOS described the VVD leadership's lengthy discussions. source
- confirmed Votes on the tax plan are scheduled for 12 November. — The Lower House lists that date in its parliamentary schedule. source
Editor's note
The deal and the political tensions have been confirmed. At the time of publication, VVD had not yet made a final decision on a cabinet crisis.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „belastingplan vvd”
- RTL Nieuws — „belastingplan vvd”
- NOS — „belastingplan vvd”