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Thursday night was one of the most dramatic in recent Dutch politics. After a tense day, the Tweede Kamer (the lower house of parliament) narrowly approved the 2027 tax plan. Two of the three governing parties passed it with help from the left-wing opposition, despite strong objections from the third. This outcome has left Prime Minister Rob Jetten’s minority cabinet deeply divided and its future uncertain.
The vote
The tax plan (Belastingplan 2027) passed by just 76 votes to 74, the narrowest possible majority in the 150-seat chamber. In a roll-call vote, where each member stated their position, D66 and CDA joined left-wing and smaller parties, Pro, Volt, 50PLUS, the Partij voor de Dieren (PvdD), ChristenUnie, and DENK, in supporting the plan. Among those voting against were the VVD, PVV, SP, Forum voor Democratie (FvD), and Groep-Markuszower.
Notably, the VVD, one of the three governing parties, voted against its own cabinet’s budget. This means the VVD’s own finance minister, Eelco Heinen, now has to implement the plan.
How it came to this
The crisis began the day before. Budget talks had stalled for weeks, and the minority coalition of D66, VVD, and CDA had only 66 of 150 seats. To secure a majority, D66 and CDA made a deal with opposition parties Pro and Volt. The agreement shifts about 1 billion euros in tax revenue from labour to wealth. It sets a higher rate in “box 3” (for income from savings and investments) on returns above 60,000 euros a year, taxed at 38.5 percent, while the basic rate drops slightly from 36 to 35.5 percent. Pro leader Jesse Klaver called it a breakthrough, saying the Netherlands would get a “millionaires’ tax.”
Importantly, the VVD was not involved in the deal and only learned about it afterward. Earlier, the three coalition parties had agreed to what some called an “open marriage,” letting them seek majorities and vote differently. D66 and CDA said this was in line with that agreement, but the VVD felt blindsided and argued the changes broke the coalition deal.
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The VVD’s fury, and an unusual rebuke
The VVD reacted quickly and angrily. Party leader Dilan Yesilgoz, who is also the defence minister, called the deal “bad” and said her party had been “ambushed.” She demanded that D66 and CDA withdraw the deal and called for a “fundamental reset” of the coalition. In parliament, VVD leader Ruben Brekelmans said the VVD would vote against the whole tax plan if the Pro/Volt amendment passed. In an unusual step, the cabinet, which includes D66 and CDA ministers, formally advised parliament not to accept the amendment, warning in a letter that its financing was unsound. Experts pointed out a gap of about 412 million euros still to be covered.
A knife-edge finish
The outcome was uncertain until the very end. The Pro/Volt amendment passed first, with 79 votes and support from D66 and CDA. The full plan was still in doubt. It only passed because two parties that had planned to vote against it, the Partij voor de Dieren and DENK, changed their minds at the last minute. In exchange, the PvdD got a higher tax on private jets and stopped a planned increase in train-ticket prices. Separately, a no-confidence motion against the cabinet from the PVV failed by 34 votes to 116.
What the parties said
The reactions showed how divided the parties are. Brekelmans called the day “distressing” (ontluisterend) and, as he left, would not say what it meant for the coalition’s future, explaining he would not decide “two minutes after the vote.” Prime Minister Jetten said he would do everything to keep the coalition together, calling for a “serious restart” and announcing talks on Friday with his two deputy prime ministers, Bart van den Brink (CDA) and Yesilgoz (VVD). D66 leader Jan Paternotte and CDA leader Henri Bontenbal urged the VVD not to leave, with Paternotte saying the alternative had been “muddling on.” Volt leader Laurens Dassen criticised the VVD for being the only coalition party to vote against the plan, while JA21 leader Joost Eerdmans described D66, VVD, and CDA as “a coalition without cement.” ChristenUnie leader Mirjam Bikker welcomed the plan’s approval but worried about the country’s ability to be governed.
What happens next
The main question now is whether the VVD will stay in the cabinet. The party did not meet on Thursday night and said more would be known on Friday, when Yesilgoz meets with Jetten and Van den Brink. The plan is not yet law: it still needs to pass the Eerste Kamer (the Senate) before the end of the year. The coalition also lacks a majority there, and losing support from right-wing parties over the wealth-tax change could be crucial. If the coalition parties cannot rebuild trust, early elections are possible and could be held alongside the provincial and water-authority elections already set for 17 March 2027.
At the time of writing, no decision had been taken on the cabinet’s future, and the positions described above are those of the parties themselves. We will report the outcome of Friday’s talks as it becomes clear.