Dutch govt. to push more money into teacher salaries, Defense

The current government plans to make more money available for teacher salaries, primary school education and Defense in a compromise to solve a conflict about teacher salaries between the VVD and PvdA, Prime Minister and VVD leader Mark Rutte confirmed. Though he stressed that there is no deal yet, NU.nl reports.

"There's a good chance that it will succeed", someone involved said, according to the newspaper. The VVD and PvdA are still working out the details. And the four parties negotiating forming a new government together - VVD, CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie - still have to give the green light. 

The PvdA wants more money for teachers. Party leader Lodewijk Asscher previously stated that if there is no salary increase for teachers in the budget, the PvdA will not sign it. This did not sit well with the VVD, who saw it as an ultimatum. "He might have been able to arrange that, but then he should've kept his mouth shut", VVD chairman Halbe Zijlstra said about Asscher's statement.

According to NRC, the government wants about 270 million euros to go to teachers, resulting in a salary increase of just over 2 percent. The amount to go to Defense is somewhat less. According to the Telegraaf, that money will be used to fill the gap in soldiers' pensions.

The VVD and PvdA discussed the matter on Monday, during the regular coalition meeting. Afterwards both Asshcer and Zijlstra seemed optimistic. 

This compromise was not discussed in the government formation talks on Thursday, ChristenUnie leader Gert-Jan Segers said, according to NU.nl. "We are waiting to see what the government comes up with", CDA leader Sybrand Buma added.