VVD unveils election program focused on tax cuts, defense, and welfare cuts
The VVD on Friday night published its draft election platform, laying out a clear agenda to boost business competitiveness, increase defense spending, and cut social welfare programs, while avoiding any specific cost estimates or budget details, NOS reports.
The 81-page document, titled "Sterker uit de storm" ("Stronger After the Storm"), was released during the summer recess and contains a wide array of proposals, some of which have appeared in earlier VVD programs. The liberal-conservative party is the first to present a draft manifesto ahead of the fall elections.
The platform emphasizes support for Dutch entrepreneurs, working citizens, and economic growth. It proposes tax cuts for businesses, incentives for employees, and fewer regulatory hurdles. One concrete measure is scrapping the second year of mandatory sick leave payments for small businesses.
The party also reaffirms support for homeownership by pledging to maintain mortgage interest tax deductions. “We choose the hard-working Dutch citizen. If you work hard, you should be able to grow and build something. If you’ve worked hard, you deserve a good life without worry,” the program states.
The VVD plans significant cuts in social security and healthcare. It proposes shrinking the basic health insurance package, increasing out-of-pocket payments, and streamlining the healthcare system. Details about what would be removed from the basic package were not provided.
The party seeks to decouple minimum wage increases from social benefits, except for state pensions (AOW) and disability benefits. A new purchasing power law would guarantee that people who work always have more disposable income than those on welfare.
Additionally, the VVD wants a cap on total benefit payouts and reductions for recipients who refuse suitable jobs or cannot speak Dutch sufficiently. Spending cuts in social programs are intended to free up funds for other priorities, particularly national defense.
A central pillar of the VVD platform is a major increase in defense spending to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product. This is framed as necessary to counter “the Russian threat.” If voluntary military enlistment falls short, the party does not rule out reintroducing conscription.
The VVD also proposes a mandatory survey for young people about military service and expanding the burqa ban. It wants nearly free childcare, mandatory school attendance from age four (currently five), and a bonus for students who graduate on time. Parents of minors involved in criminal activity would face fines under the proposal.
The party reiterates its call for strict asylum policies, including receiving far fewer refugees — “possibly zero” — offering only minimal reception conditions, and ending housing priority for those with residency status. Border controls would also be tightened.
On nitrogen emissions, the VVD supports a 50 percent reduction by 2035 to allow for new housing development. However, the program does not specify whether this would involve forced buyouts of farmers.
On climate policy, the VVD emphasizes “realism.” It opposes forcing heavy industry to relocate, warning against chasing “paper targets” and instead urging proper execution of existing climate plans.
The program also includes plans to scrap the Affordable Rent Act, reverse the reduction of the mandatory deductible in health insurance, increase the number of flights allowed at Schiphol Airport, and open Lelystad Airport. Blocking highways would become a criminal offense under VVD’s plan.
The plan does not include any figures related to costs or savings. Those calculations will come later, when the VVD submits its program for independent economic analysis by the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (Centraal Planbureau).
