Opposition very critical after poverty figures

Opposition parties believe that the government should do something to ensure that the expectations of the Central Planning Bureau for next year do not come true. The CPB said this morning that next year almost a million people will fall below the poverty line if there is no new support policy for that group.

According to PVV leader Wilders, the figures are the result of the cabinet’s policy, “which does not put the Dutch at number 1 and gives money to the whole world, but insufficiently to our own people”. He wants the money that is now allocated to asylum seekers and targets abroad to be spent on tax relief “for the people here”.

‘criminal policy’

The SP also does not have a good word for the cabinet. Party leader Marijnissen believes that behind the figures of the CPB there is a lot of misery and sadness, while large companies divide their billions of profits among their wealthy shareholders. “That is criminal; this cabinet is failing.” Among other things, the party wants wages to rise, taxes on labor to go down and those on capital to go up.

GroenLinks leader Klaver talks about a “purchasing power cliff” that the Dutch will drive towards next year. “This news comes on the day we see that the CEO of Shell earns 11 million euros and that is incredibly unfair.” As far as he is concerned, the government should make it clear as soon as possible how the group below the poverty line will be supported. He is thinking, among other things, of further raising the minimum wage and various tax measures.

“If 7 percent of children live in poverty next year, we should ask ourselves how we can prevent that,” says Volt foreman Dassen. He points out that the cabinet wanted to halve child poverty, but he thinks things are going in the wrong direction. He also wants the minimum wage to rise even more and he is also thinking of increasing the child-related budget.

Wallet

Member of parliament Heinen of government party VVD emphasizes that the cabinet has been able to protect the wallet this year “with exceptional measures”, but he also sees that as soon as the measures are reduced, the stock market will be hit again. According to him, an inventory must now first be made of which measures are needed to do something next year as well. The decisions on this can only be taken once there is more insight into inflation, wages and energy prices, the VVD believes. According to Heinen, the last thing that needs to be done is for taxes to go up.

Party chairman Paternotte of coalition partner D66 underlines that a recession has been averted, that purchasing power is increasing and that income support is helping. He does think that the government should use “targeted support” to prevent poverty from increasing further next year.

According to party leader Bikker of the governing party ChristenUnie, a new package of “targeted measures” is also needed to prevent families from falling into poverty and children going to school without breakfast. “We have to help people who can’t afford the groceries, and for whom the energy bill is getting too high.” She is concerned about the numbers.

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