Dutch government to cap TV presenters' salaries

The Dutch government is implementing stricter rules for very high salaries that are paid with tax money, such as those of presenters for public broadcasters or managers in healthcare. From now on workers in the public and semi-public sector may no longer earn more money than Ministers, Minister Ronald Plasterk of Home Affairs announced on Friday, ANP reports.

The government previously already capped the salaries of executives, also no more than a Minister salary - 181 thousand euros in 2017. At this stage, television presenters earn much more than that. Matthijs van Nieuwkerk earns around 580 thousand euros per year, according to the news wire. And Giel Beleen was also recently under fire for earning around 560 thousand euros a year.

By now capping basically all salaries of people working in the public and semi-public sector, the government is taking the final step in executing an agreement made by the VVD and PvdA when they formed their coalition. And just in time, the parliamentary elections are less than a month away. The government believes that capping salaries in the public and semi-public sectors at a "socially acceptable" height will help restore the public's confidence in the sectors.

Medical specialists and air traffic controllers are not covered by this proposal.