Dutch House passes tax plan as coalition rift deepens

The Dutch House of Representatives passed the 2027 tax plan on Thursday, November 12, after Prime Minister Rob Jetten’s D66 party and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) secured opposition support for amendments. The coalition’s third party, the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), voted against the plan, exposing a dispute that Jetten said required a fresh start for the government.

The amendments, proposed by opposition parties PRO and Volt, were agreed with D66 and CDA before the parliamentary vote. The plan passed by a narrow majority, according to reports. The House also defeated a no-confidence motion against the government, one report said.

The clash has put pressure on Jetten’s three-party minority coalition less than nine months into its four-year term. The parties hold 66 of the lower house’s 150 seats, making support from outside the coalition necessary to pass legislation.

Jetten told legislators the coalition needed a “very serious fresh start” to function better together. After the vote, he said he would meet the leaders of the VVD and CDA to find a way forward. The meeting was planned for Friday, November 13; its outcome had not been reported.