Radicalisation, spending on defence and pensioners: budget debate

The debate got off to a confrontational start when Geert Wilders, leader of the anti-Islam PVV, demanded a copy of the Koran be removed from the parliamentary chairwoman’s table.

After MPs voted 11 to 125 against the motion, Socialist Party leader Emile Roemer took to the stand to outline his party’s objections to the budget, in particular the impact on the elderly, who are losing tax breaks and face higher healthcare premiums.

Coalition

VVD leader Halbe Zijlstra called for a further increase in spending on the defence ministry, saying the EUR 100m a year increase in the budget does not go far enough. ‘Who sacrifices security for prosperity will lose both,’ Zijlstra said.

Zijlstra also repeated his earlier calls for a total overhaul of the tax system, which the cabinet has decided to delay because of the complexity of scrapping supplementary benefits.

Such a process will take five or six years and must involve a sharp reduction in the tax burden, the VVD parliamentary party leader said.

Freedoms

Zijlstra also attacked radical Muslims in the Netherlands for sowing hatred and threatening Dutch freedoms.

But he refused to give way when asked by Wilders if the Islamic culture belonged in the Netherlands.

‘We have a different history here,’ Zijlstra said. ‘But if you are asking if people from Muslim cultures belong in the Netherlands, my answer is yes.’

Sybrand Buma, leader of the Christian Democrats, used the debate to renew his calls for legislation to ban the glorification of violence.

The debate, which will included all the party leaders, continued into the night.

On Thursday, ministers will answer MPs objections and questions.