Salaries of several parliament members cut due to additional income sources

Several parliamentarians who reported their additional income to the Tax Authority after the deadline are having their salary cut, BNR reports. It concerns at least Thierry Baudet (FvD), Gidi Markuszower (PVV), and Roelf Bisschop (SGP). Baudet must repay around 40,000 euros of his salary. The other two smaller amounts, the MPs told BNR.

MPS must report their additional income to the Tax Authority every year. Anyone who earns more than 14 percent of their salary will get the extra amount cut from their wages.

Baudet chose to report his 2021 additional income without specifying an amount. That is allowed but results in a maximum deduction of 35 percent of the annual salary. Baudet must therefore repay around 40,000 euros of the parliament wages he received in 2021.

A massive 90 of the parliamentarians did not meet the deadline to report their 2021 additional income last year, BNR reported from documents received through the Open Government Act for 2018 to 2021. By June 2023, 15 MPs still hadn’t reported their additional income for 2021. The majority of them are VVD and PVV members.

The most prominent name on the list is former VVD chairman Klaas Dijkhoff, who failed to report his additional income in his last two years as a parliamentarian. Dikhoff told BNR that was a mistake. “The Tax Office has now received these forms in good order.”

Most of the others who failed to report their additional income told BNR that it was a mistake or that they had no extra income - even though that must also be reported. Some said they did not know the rules. “I was unaware that I had to declare additional income separately in this way,” Chris Jansen (PVV) told the broadcaster. “Otherwise, I would have done that, of course.” Henk Krol (BVNL) told BNR that the Tax Authority assured him he did not have to submit a report.

Almost all of the MPs said they would file their additional income report with the Tax Authority. Only Emiel van Dijk (PVV) was unavailable for comment.

MPs who still hadn’t reported their 2021 additional income by June 2023

• Chris Jansen (PVV)
• Karen Gerbrands (PVV)
• Gabriellë Popken (PVV)
• Emiel van Dijk (PVV)
• Gidi Markuszower (PVV)
• Klaas Dijkhoff (VVD)
• Han ten Broeke (VVD)
• Sven Koopmans (VVD)
• Jan Middendorp (VVD)
• Tjeerd de Groot (D66)
• Jessica van Eijs (D66)
• Kees Verhoeven (D66)
• Gijs van Dijk (PvdA)
• Rene Peters (CDA)
• Henk Krol (BVNL)