MP majority in favor of potential phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies
The article was updated at 05:00 p.m. to include the result of the vote.
A majority of the Tweede Kamer adopted on Tuesday afternoon a motion from Suzanne Kroger (GroenLinks) and Raoul Boucke (D66) that calls for a possible phase-out plan for fossil fuel subsidies. GroenLinks-PvdA, D66, PvdD, SP, ChristenUnie, Volt, Bij1, Denk, VVD and CDA voted in favor.
NOS reported prior to the vote on Tuesday that the CDA would vote in favor of the motion, meaning a parliamentary majority would be reached. CDA MP Derk Boswijk told NOS prior to the vote that his party would eventually vote in favor because "we, as CDA, want to pass on a cleaner world to the next generation." He believes it's wise to explore how fossil subsidies can be phased out "in a sensible manner."
Fossil subsidies include schemes such as tax discounts and excise duty exemptions for the fossil fuel industry. The motion does not mandate these subsidies must be phased out. Instead, it requests the government to "develop scenarios" for a phase-out over two to seven years and to submit them to the Tweede Kamer before Christmas. By that time, new elections will have taken place, and the composition of the lower house of the Dutch parliament will have changed.
The climate activist group, Extinction Rebellion, blocked the A12 highway in The Hague for several consecutive days, pushing the Dutch government to abandon policies that support the fossil fuel industry. They suspended the blockades on Friday in anticipation of the parliamentary vote on Tuesday.
The organization announced on Tuesday prior to the vote that they will stop demonstrations on the A12 highway until Christmas, Nu.nl reported.
"Civil disobedience works," the climate activist group stated on Tuesday. A spokesperson describes the vote as a significant step. "Recently, with the A12-blockades, we caused shockwaves in society and made people look differently at fossil fuel subsidies. That social change has translated into politics today. And that is what we always wanted," she said.
She added that the XR will now look at the implementation of the bill. "Of course we will look critically at what happens next. Should it turn out that politics fails again, we will come back with much more," she said.
