What will be the issues in The Hague politics this period?

Amstelveen, September 22, 2023

Now that Budget Day is behind us, all attention will be focused on the elections in the near future. In the summer the question was still which issues would predominate: was it nitrogen or asylum policy? Now, social security and subsidies for the fossil industry seem to require all the attention.

Social security, this term seems to be used more and more in this period, the theme that every political party now seems to embrace. Much attention was also paid to social security in the speech from the throne and in the General Political Reflections. It seems like a term that no one can object to: social security. But what does this really mean?

Social security seems to be a frame with many different definitions: every politician gives his own interpretation to the concept of social security. For VVD party leader Dilan Yeşilgöz, it means not having to worry about whether the end of the month will be reached. Frans Timmermans of GroenLinks-PvdA sees it as a foundation that no one should fall through. CDA member Henri Bontenbal believes that social cohesion should also be an integral part of social security.

Due to inflation and rising costs, social security is on the rise. The worse economic conditions are pushing a growing number of Dutch people towards poverty. An estimated 850,000 Dutch people currently live in poverty, almost 5 percent of the population.

The million dollar memorandum announced that the outgoing cabinet will spend two billion euros on poverty reduction, which, according to the Central Planning Bureau, is a step in the right direction. Outgoing Minister Van Gennip emphasized that without the budgeted two billion euros, almost 200,000 additional people would end up in poverty.

Fossil subsidies

Social security and poverty prevention were not the only hot issues in The Hague. Investing in the fossil industry (now known from the A12 demonstrations) will also be an important factor 'hot topic' will be made in the coming period. In 2019, the government stated that approximately 4.2 billion euros was spent invested in the fossil industry. Environmental organizations' own research showed this amount to be many times higher. And the outgoing cabinet calculated in the million-dollar bill that annually between 39.7 and 46.4 billion euros is spent on fossil fuel subsidies.

During the General Considerations, various parties requested that fossil subsidies be largely abolished. GroenLinks-PvdA member Klaver served together with D66 member Paternotte and PvdD member Ouwehand a motion to anchor the abolition of fossil subsidies in the Climate Act. This motion was rejected. Well, the motion by Paternotte (D66) and Bontenbal (CDA), calling for a leading group to be formed with European partners and willing countries at COP28, the United Nations climate conference, with the aim of abolishing internationally established subsidies for fossil fuels.

This week the general political reflections took place, with both coalition and opposition already making their first election statements. We are curious how The Hague politicians will profile themselves in the coming period and which issues will ultimately prove to be dominant: we will keep you informed.

Written by Onno Mahler