Dutch parliament scraps plan to cut benefits for pregnant women and young parents
A majority in the Tweede Kamer, including governing coalition parties, now supports abandoning a proposal that would have reduced benefit payments for pregnant women and young parents after political backing for the measure eroded in recent days, NOS reports.
Coalition parties D66 and CDA acknowledged they had not realized during coalition negotiations that a planned reduction in the maximum daily benefit amount would also affect benefits for pregnant women and parents with young children. Coalition leaders said that outcome “was never the intention.”
The proposal, included in the coalition agreement with VVD, called for reducing the maximum benefit level by 20 percent. The measure mainly targeted people receiving unemployment benefits under the WW unemployment benefit system or disability payments through the WIA disability benefit system.
In recent days, however, coalition parties conceded that lowering the maximum daily wage used to calculate benefits would also reduce payments for pregnant women and young parents on leave.
According to the government, about 18 percent of all benefit recipients would receive less money starting in 2029 under the plan. It is unclear how many of those affected would be pregnant women or young parents. The reduction would only apply to people earning more than 5,294 euros gross per month.
The proposal has drawn significant criticism in recent weeks, including warnings that it could increase gender inequality. Political support gradually weakened before a majority in the Tweede Kamer emerged to scrap the measure.
Last week, Minister Hans Vijlbrief of D66 said he wanted to “look again” at the plan. On Tuesday, Jan Paternotte, parliamentary leader of D66, went further, saying the proposal should be “taken off the table entirely.”
If the measure is dropped, it would reportedly leave a gap in the national budget. Coalition parties say they first want to determine where the missing funds — estimated at 50 million to 100 million euros — could be found. Hans Vijlbrief is expected to answer questions from lawmakers about the issue next week.
The coalition still plans to pursue a separate proposal to reduce the maximum daily wage used to calculate WIA disability benefits and WW unemployment benefits for higher-income earners starting in 2029, though it remains unclear whether that plan will secure majority support.
