More political parties support scrapping student loan system; manifesto handed to PM

Another five political parties joined the call of youth movement Coalitie-Y to abolish the student loan system. The manifesto to this effect will be handed to Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Monday evening, the night before Budget Day, the Volkskrant reports.

SP, 50Plus, SGP, PvdD and Denk announced that they are joining the manifesto of Coalitie-Y, which consists of a number of youth organization, the ChristenUnie and TV presenter Tim Hofman. GroenLinks and the PvdA previously announced their support.

The PvdA wants a basic study grant for every student whose parents earn less than 100 thousand euros. ChristenUnie leader Gert-Jan Segers wants to go a step further and return the basic grant for all students. But he will not break the current government agreement, which states that the student loan system will remain in place. "How it takes shape is something for the next cabinet formation", Segers said to the newspaper.

The social and economic council SER recently raised concerns about millennials reaching milestones later and later, partially blaming it on the study debts they have piling up. The council called for a "generation test" to be performed when new legislation is introduced - to see how a new law, in combination with other laws and political agreements, impact young people and their future. This generation test also forms part of the manifesto that will be handed to Rutte on Monday.