Dutch economy to grow slightly more than expected: budget leak

The Dutch economy is expected to grow by 1.7 percent next year, according to the leaked budget memorandum RTL Nieuws and Telegraaf managed to get hold of. That is slightly more than the 1.6 percent initially estimated. The growth can partly be attributed to growing household expenditure, which will grow from 1.3 to 1.8 percent next year. Inflation is expected to increase to 0.5 percent. The national debt will amount to 62.1 percent of the gross domestic product. The budget deficit will drop to 0.5 percent. Unemployment will fall to 555 thousand people, 5 thousand less than the previous estimation. "The Netherlands is in a better position. The public finances are now more balanced. All in all, the Netherlands emerged strongly from the crisis", RTL quotes the memorandum. The government adds that "the changes were not painless and the effects of the crisis have not been eliminated." Previous leaks from the budget for next year revealed that the government plans to improve everyone's purchasing power next year by investing 1.1 billion euros extra towards that purpose. The government also has an additional 1.5 billion euros earmarked for defense, security, education and healthcare. Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem of Finance will officially present the budget memorandum on Budget Day on Tuesday. According to NU.nl, he called this latest leak "disappointing".