Opposition threatens to block spending cuts in Senate

The three parties want to rein in government cutbacks by around 1.3 billion euros. The government has budgeted cuts of around 2 billion euros in education, a substantial part of which will impact higher education.

If the opposition parties get their way, the long-term study penalty for students will not go ahead. That will make a difference of around 292 million euros. The measure is not popular, even with education minister Eppo Bruins of NSC, who is looking for an alternative.

They also want the cuts to internationalisation taken off the table. The government has taken out an advance on the fall in the number of foreign students by already booking in 272 million euros as a saving.

In addition, the opposition wants universities to keep their funding for start-up and incentive grants, which they can use to pay for blue-sky research. It also wants to see cuts to the Dutch Research Council reversed.

No majority

In the Senate, the ruling coalition lacks a majority, so one way or another the government has to broker deals in support of its policies, for example by enlisting the support of this trio of opposition parties. If the Senate rejects the new budget, the previous one will remain in force and the cuts will fall by the wayside.

‘There’s not an expert to be found who thinks these education cuts make sense’

“The government will have to shift its position in any case, given the major resistance outside the political arena”, said Jan Paternotte, member of the House of Representatives for D66. “These are the biggest education cuts ever. There’s not an expert to be found who thinks they make sense.”

Last Monday, thousands of students, teachers and researchers demonstrated in The Hague to demonstrate against the cuts. Tuesday, the debate on the education budget got underway in the House of Representatives.

Alternative cuts

The three opposition parties have come up with some alternatives to the government cuts. For example, they want to save 400 million euros by having medical specialists work as salaried employees instead of in all kinds of partnerships. This plan has won the backing of the VVD and now seems like a viable proposition.

Another proposal is to give workers the option to continue working and take the state pension at a later date. This too will save the government a considerable sum, Paternotte argues. Last but not least, the three opposition parties want to claw back more money by reducing the health insurance excess to 185 euros a year, instead of 165.

 HOP, Bas Belleman
Translation: Taalcentrum-VU