Parliament has once again blocked plans to open Lelystad Airport for commercial flights, with a majority of MPs demanding that the current caretaker government drop its plans to make a decision before Christmas. This marks the third time in two years that Parliament has voted against opening the controversial airport, yet ministers continue pushing forward.
The Latest Parliamentary Block
The House of Representatives wants the current caretaker cabinet to refrain from deciding on opening Lelystad Airport for civil aviation. A motion by GroenLinks-PvdA with that request has been signed by a parliamentary majority. The motion was supported by D66, CDA, Party for the Animals, ChristenUnie, SP, 50PLUS, and Vol, together representing 76 seats, just enough for a majority.
GroenLinks-PvdA MP Suzanne Kröger called on Minister Tieman not to take irreversible steps in decision-making about opening Lelystad Airport, arguing "It is absurd to open an extra airport in the middle of the climate crisis." She emphasised there is no support in Parliament and no nature permit yet.
In her motion, Kröger wrote: "It is not appropriate for this double-caretaker cabinet to make such major decisions with major consequences." The current government is double-caretaker because it's both a caretaker government after elections and managing without a full coalition agreement.
Minister Warns of Extra Costs
Despite Parliament's clear opposition, Infrastructure Minister Robert Tieman said on Tuesday he still wants to make a decision about the airport this year. The cabinet is meanwhile working on plans for a Defence space in the Netherlands, which requires a decision this year, including whether F-35 fighter jets will be stationed at Lelystad. Whether or not holiday flights come to the airport is important for this decision, as the defence plan "assumes military co-use of a civil airport".
Tieman warned that "the costs of the different scenarios vary considerably. That is also relevant for the formation talks." He appeared to be warning incoming coalition parties: if they block opening Lelystad Airport, they'll burden themselves with extra costs. The minister's message is clear: not opening the airport will be expensive, and that bill will fall to the next government.
A History of Parliamentary Opposition
This isn't the first time Parliament has voted against Lelystad Airport. Parliament adopted a motion almost two years ago to "definitively" not open the Lelystad Airport. In September, another motion was added calling not to link the possible stationing of F-35 fighter jets to opening the airport for holiday flights.
Yet despite these clear parliamentary signals, successive ministers have continued working toward opening the airport. Former infrastructure minister Barry Madlener, from the far-right PVV party, repeatedly said he hoped to open the airport, arguing it would be "a real crime" to waste all the investment already made in building it.
Photo Credits: Supercarwaar
Why Politicians Keep Changing Their Minds
The Lelystad Airport saga reflects what critics call political wishy-washiness. The airport was originally planned to relieve pressure on Schiphol by handling charter holiday flights. The government invested heavily in building the infrastructure, including a new terminal and an extended runway.
However, public opinion shifted as climate concerns grew. Opponents argue that opening a new civilian airport is irresponsible given the climate goals, nitrogen emission problems, and public health concerns about aircraft noise and pollution. Many charter airlines also opposed being forced to move from well-connected Schiphol to Lelystad, which has no direct link to Schiphol and lacks a train connection.
The result: billions were spent on an airport that Parliament keeps blocking, but some politicians and Schiphol airport want to see it opened to justify the investment and provide overflow capacity.
The Coalition Formation Complication
The Lelystad decision has become entangled in current coalition formation talks. D66, CDA, and VVD are negotiating about forming a government. Of these three parties, VVD supports opening the airport for commercial aviation, while D66 and CDA joined the motion blocking the decision. JA21, often mentioned as a possible coalition partner, also wants the airport open.
This creates an awkward situation: parties negotiating to govern together have opposing positions on Lelystad. If VVD insists on opening the airport as a coalition condition, it could complicate government formation talks that are already difficult.
What Happens Next
The motion blocking a decision by the caretaker cabinet still needs to be formally voted on, though it already has majority support through signatures. If adopted, it would prevent Minister Tieman from making his planned Christmas decision about the airport.
However, the motion doesn't resolve the fundamental question on what happens to Lelystad Airport. The facility sits ready but unused, with ongoing maintenance costs and no clear path forward. The next government will inherit this expensive problem, along with the need to decide whether to finally open it, permanently close it, or find an alternative use.
